Dave's Diary

Jesus made it clear in John 13:34 that there is a higher standard of love expected of us in relation to our fellow believers than to our neighbours in general. He said, “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” 

But why should we love each other with Christlike, sacrificial love? That’s what we’re searching the Scriptures to answer this week.

Prayer before Reading:

Join in this simple yet powerful prayer from Isaiah 64:1 before you read, “O Lord, burst the heavens and draw near to me. Come and show me Your glory!”

Now spend a moment quietly getting focused on the Lord’s presence before you read.

Daily Reading

Ephesians 3:14-21

Experiencing the love of the Living God poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit is an awesome spiritual blessing available to every child of God through faith in Christ. It is profound to know and experience God’s love that passes knowledge, through the Holy Spirit’s ministry within us as individuals.

But when that love of God is ministered to us by a fellow believer, it is as though an even deeper, richer dimension is at play. It’s not that it is better than the deeply personal spiritual experience of God’s love. It is just that it is different, and beautiful in another, wonderful, complementary way, when God’s people make that love tangible.

So, the apostle Paul writes that he prays for the Ephesian believers to be empowered by the Holy Spirit “together with all the Lord’s holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” (v.18-19). When we share God’s love with one another as His people, it’s beauty and value become wondrously magnified to us and to them.

Why should we love our fellow believer? Because by doing so we (and they) will truly appreciate the lengths, breadth, depth and height of God’s immeasurable love in ways we never imagined possible. I “dare” you to put this to the test today by practically extending God’s love to a fellow believer.

Contemplation:

Please take time to ponder this truth. Turn one or more of these statements over and over in your mind:

• God longs to take me deeper into the wells of His love by empowering me to pour out more love towards my fellow believers.
• As I pour love out in practical, life-giving ways, God will fill me even more.
• To whom can I be sacrificially kind, gentle, patient, generous or merciful today? (All elements of God’s love)

Holy Spirit, please fill my heart with genuine, Christlike love for my fellow believers, and empower me to love them with the Father’s love today. Amen.