July 10, 2021

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:34-35

I love you! If I were to ask you how do you know that I love you—how would you answer? Because I died on the cross for you? Then you would be right. I gave My life for you, so you could have yours—not just here on earth but for all eternity. That is love! Right before I died on the cross, I gave a new commandment to love one another, just as I have loved you. Loving your neighbor isn’t a new commandment. What is new is the standard by which you love your neighbor—Would you be willing to die for them? This new standard clearly establishes the essence of love: to serve each other. Dying for someone will likely never present itself in your lifetime—but always be willing. Always be willing to serve one another, especially the ones closest to you. My child, your trial has revealed that you fell short of My new commandment. And this guilty feeling is part of the reason you struggle in your trial. I know your heart, My child. No need to feel guilty, okay? It’s not that you didn’t love and didn’t want to serve. It’s you didn’t show your love and servanthood to the point of dying for those closest to you. I know you would have given the situation, but you forgot to show that you would. And those then closest to you didn’t feel and know what you would truly do for them because of your love. You loved them, but you didn’t show them that you loved them. Going forward, let’s work on this, okay? Let Me lead the way on showing love. Just emulate what I do. No matter what happens in your trial, love them all and show it! I love you, My child!

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” —John 15:13

“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” —Matthew 20:28 

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8