By This They Will Know

This week, my wife and I have been doing a week's worth of devotions with the kids. It is Passion Week. The week of Easter. The focus of that devotional is to walk through the timeline of what Jesus did and what He went through leading up to the cross this week. As a relatively new follower of Christ, I am becoming more and more aware of the significance of the Passion Week. Over the past seven or so years that I have been walking with Jesus, it has certainly changed the way I feel about this week. Every year since I walked away from religion and stepped into a relationship with Christ, it seems that this week has taken on a deeper significance. It’s tough to describe, but I do know that for most of my life, Easter and the week leading up to Sunday meant nothing to me. Good Friday was just a day off from school or work. Thursday (today) was just Thursday, and I had no thoughts about it one way or the other.

But today—this Thursday—feels different.
It is different.

Today, we remember the night Jesus gathered with His disciples for what would be their last meal together. He washed their feet. (Even Judas’s.) He broke bread. He spoke of betrayal, of sacrifice, and of love. But in the middle of that heavy, sacred moment, He gave them something new.

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34–35 (CSB)

Not just love, but love like He loves. That’s what hit me hard this time around. Jesus didn’t tell them to follow a set of rules or memorize a list of religious obligations. He didn’t say, “Go to church more” or “Try harder.” He said, love. Deeply. Sacrificially. Humbly.

And that command still echoes today—for me, for you, for anyone who calls Him LORD.

I know that in my life, it has been difficult to love my enemies. I would like to think that I don’t have any enemies, but if we're being honest, everyone has at least one. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. When Jesus gives His disciples the command to love one another as He loves, the very next thing He says is two of my favorite words in the Bible. He says, "By this,” they will know that you are my disciples.
That’s it for me. That’s everything!

I do struggle with this command at times. Honestly, I could have just ended that sentence with “I struggle.”

It’s hard to be in a circle of gossip and not fall victim to it, too. It’s hard to be surrounded by people who are living in the world and not living for Christ, without sometimes acting like they do. It’s hard to be hurt by someone and still love them. It’s hard to forgive.

Then I think about how much Christ loves us. I think about how much Christ loves me. I think about all that He endured on our behalf. I think about how my life was before I knew Him and how it is now. That’s not to say that everything is sunshine and rainbows, but it is to say that my life is forever changed by Him—by the relationship I have with Him. It is only by His grace and mercy that I live.

Why in the world would I not give all that I am to Him? Why in the world would I not strive to keep His commands? He who saved me. He who changed my life forever.

Why would I brush that off and go eat a chocolate bunny instead?

I am forever thankful for God’s love. It is something that I could never fully put into words or capture on this blog. I genuinely don’t believe the human mind can truly grasp it, but I’ll never stop trying to.

“This is what I command you: Love one another.”
John 15:17 (CSB)

Oh, one last thing… SUNDAY IS COMING!