Focus
Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.
Read
John 13: 31-35 (NRSV)
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reflect
I remember learning the song, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” at church camp. It was at camp that I was first exposed to this song, but now many of our church hymnals contain it. I love this song because it speaks of how we are to be one in spirit, how we are to walk and work side by side with one another, and how all praise and glory belong to God. The song stands as a bold reminder to a society in the midst of political elections that seem to divide us and pull us apart to the point that we do not feel that we are one. Even in our churches, as we discuss unification and becoming one, we find plenty of issues that seek to keep us apart, and will if we do not work together to address them so we may walk, work, and worship with one another.
As Jesus prepared for his return to heaven, like any good teacher, he reviewed the basics with the disciples. Jesus could have said any number of things. He could have pointed to a number of laws and instructions, but he sums up all his teachings with “love one another.” Love each other. When we reach out in love, we might just find ourselves closer to being one in spirit. When we reach out in love, we might just find it easier to walk with someone and understand their journey. When we reach out in love, we might just find it easier to work with someone to overcome the barriers that separate us. In loving one another, we glorify God. Jesus said that our love would identify us as his disciples. After all, God is love, so when we share love, we really share God with one another.
Pray
Loving God, help us to love others as you love us. Amen.
Go with God!
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