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Ezekiel 28:15,16
What do you wish would happen today?
Someone Else
Humans love rules. We make up new ones for fun. The Jews turned God’s 10 Commandments into 663 rules by adding a bit here, explaining a bit there and doing it all over again. And again. And again.
Societies and philosophies right around the world developed with one Golden Rule at their core: Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t like done to you.
Sounds easy enough.
And yet, we get it wrong - day in and day out. We treat people as slaves, drain them of their energy, and spend them until they are used up. We are not very good when left to ourselves at treating people as deeply beautiful and truly valuable.
When Jesus walked the earth, He repeated the Golden Rule. But, He spun it in a new and wonderful way. Jesus said, “Do to others what you WISH they would do to you.” Do you see the difference?
Close your eyes. Imagine the best thing that could happen to you today - the absolutely best thing that you wish would happen for you. Now open your eyes - and go make that happen for someone else.
Jesus only said the Golden rule in this way because He knew we wouldn’t understand His example. He demonstrated a greater truth than could ever be put into words. Jesus tried to explain it, saying, “As the father has loved Me, I have loved you. Remain in my love.”*
Love is the core of being like Jesus. And Jesus is the example of being like God - in whose image we were created. Jesus went on to explain what being filled with God’s love looks like, “If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”*
That’s what obedience is all about. Love in action. Love in full swing looks a lot like Jesus. The disciple John called himself ‘the disciple Jesus loved’ because he knew there is nothing more revealing of who Jesus is than to say Jesus loves me.
John went so far as to say, “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”* John learned this from Jesus. And we will too, if we spend enough time with Him.
Obeying God’s law is not a burden, it is an act of Love. Jesus simplified all of the law in one new simple rule - because He knows we love rules! Jesus explained the purpose of our image bearing lives in one short command. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”*
Now, open your eyes and go make that happen for someone else.
* John 15:9-10, 1 John 4:8, John 13:34
Societies and philosophies right around the world developed with one Golden Rule at their core: Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t like done to you.
Sounds easy enough.
And yet, we get it wrong - day in and day out. We treat people as slaves, drain them of their energy, and spend them until they are used up. We are not very good when left to ourselves at treating people as deeply beautiful and truly valuable.
When Jesus walked the earth, He repeated the Golden Rule. But, He spun it in a new and wonderful way. Jesus said, “Do to others what you WISH they would do to you.” Do you see the difference?
Close your eyes. Imagine the best thing that could happen to you today - the absolutely best thing that you wish would happen for you. Now open your eyes - and go make that happen for someone else.
Jesus only said the Golden rule in this way because He knew we wouldn’t understand His example. He demonstrated a greater truth than could ever be put into words. Jesus tried to explain it, saying, “As the father has loved Me, I have loved you. Remain in my love.”*
Love is the core of being like Jesus. And Jesus is the example of being like God - in whose image we were created. Jesus went on to explain what being filled with God’s love looks like, “If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”*
That’s what obedience is all about. Love in action. Love in full swing looks a lot like Jesus. The disciple John called himself ‘the disciple Jesus loved’ because he knew there is nothing more revealing of who Jesus is than to say Jesus loves me.
John went so far as to say, “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”* John learned this from Jesus. And we will too, if we spend enough time with Him.
Obeying God’s law is not a burden, it is an act of Love. Jesus simplified all of the law in one new simple rule - because He knows we love rules! Jesus explained the purpose of our image bearing lives in one short command. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”*
Now, open your eyes and go make that happen for someone else.
* John 15:9-10, 1 John 4:8, John 13:34
Reflection Question:
Who will you be seeing today that you can share God's love with? How will you do it?
Prayer time:
Before you pray together, ask: What would you like to say to Jesus today?
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