THE COMMAND TO LOVE

John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other

DAY 129 OF 365 IN 2021

One may have reason, sometimes justified and appropriate and thus refuse to carry out a command. However, any soldier will attest to the efficacy of a command issued by ones superior. You may not agree, but once officially issued, one was charged to follow suit. Choosing not to do so was indicative that you were willing to embrace the consequences that came with the decision- whether good or bad.

In today’s verse, the message was fairly straight forward and to the point. Like a soldier issuing commands, the words of Jesus were explicit ‘this is what I command’, one version even renders His words ‘I demand that you love’. It was not a matter of ifs and buts, there was no wiggle room to a make a valid opposing argument. The command had been issued.

However, the context and expression of love, its position as a command is enforced only and as far as it makes and has its reference and root in the example and person of Jesus. Love is defined according to his terms and it is on that basis the command is issued.

Beloved, left on our own, there are places we’ll always like to go and those we will definitely avoid. Things we will gladly do and those we will fight tooth and nail to avoid. If offered a choice, in some matters, some options will never remain a prospect for consideration. It for this reason that we receive the charge to love as a command, in case we decide not to.

#sly