1 LIFE TO LIVE SERIES: LOVE COMPLETELY

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”
Psalm 90:2.

“It was just before the Passover feast Jesus knew that the time for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love”
John 13:1.

What would you do if you realize that you only have one month to live? Who would you spend your last days with?

Jesus, in his last few days on earth, didn’t spend his remaining time preaching or performing miracles, rather, he spent it with the people who mattered the most.

We are created by God to be relational beings. We are both created and commanded to love. Our purpose is to love, to receive love and give love every single day.

CREATED TO LOVE.
We need one another. None of us can live in isolation. We are social creatures created for relationships and communities.

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”
Genesis 2:18.

COMMANDED TO LOVE.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”
John 13:34-35.

Jesus referred to loving one another as a new command even if it was mentioned because giving love was no longer natural. Sin caused people to self-preservation, pride, selfishness and vanity.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30.

Jesus summed up the 10 Commandments in the Old Testament with these two commands on love. He tells us to love others unconditionally just as he has loved us— without expecting anything in return. He also teaches us to love God with everything that we are.


LIFE IS SHORT. LOVE COMPLETELY.

How do we love completely? WE COMMIT TO LOVE. Love is a commitment. It’s a choice. We choose to love the people God has put around us. To show love to the people who matter to us is in the way we spend time with them.


HOW TO COMMIT TO LOVE:

1. Act now.

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions”
1 John 3:18.

2. Forgive.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”
Colossians 3:13.

Many times, we hold on to bitterness and resentment because of hurt. In relationships, when we let go of these bitterness and resentment, both sides win.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” John 15:11.