You might have noticed that I blog about love a lot and the need for it in this world. It's no surprise then that it's Jesus' only command to us and the promises He made are dependant on us loving people. He said *if* you keep My command then the Father and I will come to you. He made many other promises… and then eventually told us what His only command is. You know what it is. He mentioned it so many times. To love one another as He loved us.
He said something startling. He said that some people will come to Him saying they have cast out demons and done all kinds of achievements things in His name… and He will say to them "get away from Me, I never knew you". I can tell you this… I am 100% sure of this… what He is looking for is for us to do what He has commanded us to do… to love one another.
I went to a conference last week and ever since then something in my heart has been aching in a way I can't explain. I attended the conference and eventually I had to leave after about an hour. I had no peace and I was extremely uncomfortable. Darkness seemed to fill the room at times and I was very very worried for people.
They were teaching about amazing things. I absolutely know that God can do amazing things. I know there is a spirit realm. I know that there is a third heaven. I don't care if we are in the "third day" because none of that truly matters. What matters is loving the people around us.
The next day I was led to a DVD of Mother Teresa and I cried while watching that DVD. It felt like home to me. I watched it with a friend and he cried too. The message to me (I felt) is to not be concerned with the power, healings and signs… but to focus on what truly matters – love the people around us in His Name.
It's a command. It's the only command that we are explicitly given.
For some people this call is to love the people in the home, work office or wherever they are. For some people I believe we should forsake our comfortable lives and go somewhere where the need is the most critical.
But I also know that we can't do this from a place of weakness, because it will be tough. Very tough. It's physically tough to work all day. It's emotionally tough to always be around the needy. It's mentally tough to be away from home for months and years. To do this, we need to be emotionally healed, we need to be mentally whole – otherwise we have nothing to give others. If we do not love ourselves, how can we love others?
Have a read of this blog post Letter from Heidi. I feel exactly like this:
Recently I’ve been undone by 1 John 4:7-8, and 16. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God for God is love.” Verse 16, “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” I have one goal, to be found inside His love.
I want you to read what she writes
The Lord has been reminding me that our job is to love. I want to keep it simple. I could tell you about the thousands of churches and the mighty revival that is taking place. I could tell you about the thousands of people we are feeding every day. I could tell you about all the signs, wonders and miracles. But I prefer to tell you about one life, a little boy, named Selsun. This Friday I found him wandering the streets of Maputo, sad, despondent and rejected. I walked in the back streets with him, making friends. I went to where he was living under a veranda. I found out his parents died in a train crash and his aunt beat him up. She does not want him. I’m reminded that it is all about loving the one in front of us.
I go to pieces inside when I think of this young person who the world shunned and left abandoned. I would run out and help, but I don't know where to run or how to get there. I feel held back and in the meantime, waiting to be loosed, I know that there are people right here, in this room who are absolutely craving healthy love from another human.
I really don't have to look very far to see someone who needs love.
Jesus said: the world will know His disciples by… their love for one another.
Faith + Hope + Love 