What is greater love? What is love? What identifies love? Do I love? Have I experienced love?
Many of us know the great scripture in John 15 that references great love being exemplified as the person who is willing to lay his life down for another. For a picture of what this looks like we most times look to Christ's willingness to die on the cross. This season I am aware of great love that put into motion Christ's death on the Cross. That example is still Christ as he was willing to leave Heaven to come to our sin-filled Earth to begin the expedition that would provide salvation to all humanity, once and for all. He laid his life down from the foundations of the Earth. At the very moment he was conceived in the virgin's womb, he was putting into motion His "yes" to becoming the sacrificial lamb. He chose you and I over himself.
There are rare moments in life when we see greater love re-exemplified. The moment when a mom chooses the life of her unborn child over her own life. She has chosen to give life to the one who is at her mercy. The moment a soldier goes into battle to protect his nation, family and friends at home. He has chosen to protect others knowing that his life could be taken at any time. On another scale, we see the spouse who chooses to remain faithful despite overwhelming pain and disappointment; choosing to give life to their marriage. The parent that exchanges life long hopes and dreams for a new set of hopes and dreams as they dedicate their existence to provide quality and loving care to a disabled child. The pastor who works another job so that he can shepherd the poor and disadvantaged instead of pastoring the church downtown that would allow him to live with ease. We see great love in the new believer who walks away from a life of privilege to follow Christ. She's walking into a life that her friends, her family, her peers do not understand or accept. In a way she is laying her life down for a Friend.
This Season, I am overwhelmed with the feeling that God is, again, calling us to choose Him over ourselves; that we also would follow His example of 'greater love'. We may not be birthing a child, fighting a war, saving our marriage, caring for a disabled child, discipling the poor or living as a new believer but we too have a challenge before us. What part of our life will we lay down for our Friend?
Christ gave up Heaven to come here and save us. How is it that we accept His great love but decline to return great love? Many of us love Him in the way that we acknowledge and accept His existence but we are not really into greatly loving Him which might call for sacrifice. Today, what is it that you can lay down that will allow for a closer walk with Him? Don't think about it to much. If you do the fallen nature of humanity will begin to sugar coat the thought and self justification will overtake any notion of change.
If you are like me - you love a challenge, love the Lord and love your fellow man. This is a challenge for you today: love the Lord in an intentional way, love your fellow man in such a way today to provide an example of how to closely follow Christ. There may be physical and spiritual benefits for greatly loving God but don't do it for those benefits. Instead, love God greatly and do this because He is God.
Pray this prayer with me. "Lord, help me to live willing to give you my very best. I give myself to you again in this moment. Please send your Holy Spirit to guide me into deeper Truth. I desire to focus on walking toward you and walking away from myself. May you be glorified in this life laid down. Through the name of Jesus, Amen."
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