Daily Devotional - Discipleship - WK32 - 08/10/24 - Day 202 “Commanded to Love”

Author: Evang. Jamie Hoffman

“Commanded to Love”
Scripture: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34-35‬ ‭NIV)‬‬

Devotional:
God is love! If you want to check your level of discipleship, check your level of love. As disciples of Christ, loving others is not an option; it is a commandment. We are charged to love. Choosing to love others even when they hate us, mistreat us, hurt us, or misuse us is what we are required to do. That is what identifies us as Christians, being Christ-like. Jesus literally went to the cross for the same people that lied on Him, beat Him, and ridiculed Him. The nails did not hold Him to the cross; it was His love for us. We also have to love like Christ loved.

It is easy to love those we deem loveable, but can we love those that make it hard for us? If we look at what is going on in the world today, it is easy to become disheartened and hopeless, because it seems that the love of man is waxing colder and colder each day. That is why it is so important for us to be the light that God has called us to be in the world. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in his nonviolent approach to the racism and hatred that he daily encountered, said this, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Prayer: Lord, help us to love like You love. Help us to be the light that You have called us to be to draw others to You. Amen.