Doing As He Has Done

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 (New International Version)

There are two instances in Scripture where we are told to do what Christ has done. One is to love as He loved and the other is to forgive as He has forgiven. Both entail our interaction with others. Whether or not the loving and forgiving is “deserved” in our eyes, whether or not the other person is receptive to either, whether or not it is easy, we are to do as He did. He asks (insists on) nothing of us that He has not already done for us…in example as well as in relationship. He loves and forgives us when we least deserved it, when we aren’t receptive or even aware of it, and when we aren’t the easiest to work with or through.

Yet, at the same time, He knows we are human and will be prone to failure. He knows we cannot do as He as done without His help because out of our flesh and personal ambitions we will experience what Peter experienced when he proclaimed several verses later that he would lay down his life for Christ. In himself, he thought he was already equipped to die a martyr’s death yet failed miserably that very night. It was the beginning of coming to the end of himself and years later he DID lay down his life for Christ but only because the ability came from Christ.

No matter what the command to us is, we are as incapable of mustering up the obedience up on our own. Without true heart change from God’s work and Spirit in us we will accomplish behavior modification at best and it will be short lived. It will be a continual strain which lacks joy and fruit. It will be as empty and non productive as the things we attempted to do before coming to Christ.

So where do we start? We start with humility before God. We acknowledge what it is He calls us to do and how in ourselves we are unable to do it. We ask for His strength in our weakness and His work to be done in us even with our fleshly tendencies. This is the essence of Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.“ As the opportunities arise to live out His commands we stay aware of our need of Him. He is not looking for or expecting perfection and neither should we. Progress and growth, my friends. Progress and growth.

Father, I am not able to do the least of Your commands without Your help. All that You tell me to do is only possible by Your grace and assistance. I need You. Amen.

Power of Your Love - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLAWhr1o1A

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.