Love Redefined

Read John 13:1-17

John 13:1
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Everyone wants to believe in love. Love is much talked about but short in supply. It is a sellable commodity in theatres and because of our sinful nature, it is a concept much distorted these days.

Jesus took the form of human because of love. He ministered because He loved. He is the epitome of what real love is. He took the towel, washed the feet of His disciples as a prelude to that final show – the cross and the crucifixion.

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

The best love movies pale in comparison to the expression of Christ’s love.

Looking at his band of followers on that day, Jesus felt love – intense and jealous love for them. Did he know they were all going to deny, abandon and betray Him? He did. Was He looking forward to His own death? I doubt so. Were they deserving of His love? We cry, ‘No’. So we too – are undeserving recipients indeed.

But our betrayals, denials, failures and pains inflicted on Him stop Him not. He is motivated by love for His creatures because He loves – not because we are lovely.

We are loved.

I John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”

Because He loves us and we accept His love, the Holy Spirit, God’s nature of love now resides and forms in us. We are then able to love God and others as a response of being in love with God.

Love therefore starts with knowing God’s love, growing God’s love in us and then ends up showing God’s love to Him by loving others.

Love, therefore is a state of being that spills into our doing. It is supernatural. Having received such extravagant love, we love Him back to the end.