If You Love Me...

Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" John 14:15.

The life of Jesus was a life of service to everyone He came in contact with. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" Matthew 20:28. Loving service was the lesson of His every act.

Jesus was and continues to be our Teacher. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" Matthew 5:43-45.

Loving and serving others as Christ has loved and served us is what separates His disciples from the rest of the world. His love separates us from hating our brother and even our enemies. His love separates us from anger, fear, and harmful addictions. His love separates us from selfishness, dissensions and jealousies. His love separates us from violence, harmful behaviors and emotions. And His love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness and self-control take the place of harmful emotions and practices.

"The burden of disease and wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration; He came to give them health and peace and perfection of character" The Ministry of Healing, p. 17.

The love of Jesus for you and me separates us from our sins; "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" Revelation 1:5… His actions tell us, "Under conviction of sin, remember that I died for you. When oppressed and persecuted and afflicted for My sake and the gospel's, remember My love, so great that for you I gave My life. When your duties appear stern and severe, and your burdens too heavy to bear, remember that for your sake I endured the cross, despising the shame. When your heart shrinks from the trying ordeal, remember that your Redeemer lives to make intercession for you" Desire of Ages, p. 659… "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" John 15:13. This is precisely what Jesus has done for you and me.

How great is God's love for us? "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" John 3:16, 17.

God loves you and me supremely my friend! And what does He ask of us? "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

"If you love Me…" This is not a command; it is a request of those who recognize what their Creator has done for them.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love, with loving-kindness I have drawn you" Jeremiah 31:3.

May God's love and His wonderful blessings pervade your life today.