Once Again

III Jn. 5-6

And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

John once again stressed a commandment that should be obeyed, not a new commandment but an old one; in fact, one that was from the beginning: Love one another. It sounds so simple, yet must be hard to obey or why would John have mentioned it so many times. What is this love that was and is so important? John explained that this love is walking according to His commandments. Love is obedience to all that Jesus said including loving one another. Actually, if I love others it automatically makes me obey other commandments too. It seems like an unloving attitude is at the root of so many areas of disobedience. John, in his gospel, talked about love being the mark of identification of believers. Am I known by my love? Do I have a submissive, obedient attitude to the Word? What about when irritating people come into my life?

Father,

My heart is so selfish. At times, I am so unloving especially to those people who irritate me, ones that You have put in my life to grow my love. I confess. Teach me to love and obey Your words.

In Jesus name,

Amen