AND
“ And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart AND with all your soul AND with all your strength AND with all your mind, AND your neighbour as yourself.” Luke 10:27 ESV
We’ve been in quite the season of lockdown, with restrictions in-place for a year and I’m carrying this question in my Spirit, who will we be when we come out of this season?
We have been given space to get some things right.
Have we been faithful with this time we have been given to grow in our personal intimacy with our Father? Have we allowed His love for others to consume us in such a way that we are willing to lay down our lives? Have we emptied ourselves and given Him first place in all things that allow Him to send us forth into new places, doing new things, new ways?
We, as the New Testament church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, have a two fold command ~
Love God AND love people.
Love is a choice that reflects a commitment of our whole being, first and foremost to and for God and then to others.
…but they gave themselves first to the Lord AND then by the will of God to us.
2 Cor. 8:5
Jesus said, love “even as” I have loved you. Again, this love is only made possible by the working of the Holy Spirit but to the child of God who has been born again by the Sprit, this is the love we have been given. It is the Love of God shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit enabling us to love “even as” He loves.
If anyone says, “I love God,” AND hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
1 John 4:20 ESV
But whoso may have the world's substance, AND sees his brother having need, AND shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him?
1 John 3:17 Darby
Jesus has called us to a lifestyle of intimacy with Him, through a devotion that alters who we are, by His presence.
AND we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18
Abiding in Him is an ongoing reality. Moment by moment. Oneness has no separation. We don’t leave the place of intimacy. We are the temple of the living God, His presence dwells within. We carry His presence where ever we go. We live in dependency upon Him to lead and guide us. We are His workmanship ordained for good works and Jesus said we are destined for greater works than He did.
It is from our place of intimacy that we are sent out to be a blessing. Jesus’ disciples were called to be with Him before He sent them out. Jesus said I am the door of the sheep. We go in AND come out, finding pasture, nourishment and refreshing and we come out to pour out.. We both live and work from this intimate union with Him and the fruit borne is the keeping of His commandment.
We love God AND we love people.