Dave's Diary

We continue to reflect on why we are commanded to love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

Prayer before Reading:

Before you read, pray this simple prayer inspired by Psalm 119:11-12

LORD, please teach me the ways of living that are pleasing to You. Help me to hide Your Word in my heart. so that my life may be pleasing to You Amen.

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

Daily Reading

John 14:23-26

Two days ago, we considered that Christ identifies Himself with those in need, and that loving them is a form of loving Christ. In one sense, then, we love Christ by loving others.

But there is another sense in which this is also true. Today let’s reflect on the truth that we love Christ by loving others, simply because by doing so we are obeying Him. After all, He said in John 14:23 & 26

‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching … Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.’

Last Sunday in Church, we saw that loving the Lord with “agape” love is doing everything we can to bring Him pleasure and delight, despite the cost to self. It is self-sacrificial, selfless love for the sake of His greatest pleasure! We love Him by obeying Him and doing what is pleasing to Him.

And Christ has made it abundantly clear in His teaching that it brings Him great delight when we love our neighbours as we love ourselves. He loves to see His people imitating Him and living out His own love for others. So we love Him well whenever we love our neighbours well. To love Him in this way is, in fact, a very practical form of worship.  Another great reason to love our neighbours today!

Contemplation:

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

• I love Christ well when I obey Him.
• He has commanded me to love my neighbours.
• When I love my neighbours, I delight the Lord!

Holy Spirit, please help me to sense how I can love Christ through loving others today. Amen.