EASTER VI John 15:9-17

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Rational understanding loves others to feel God.

Spiritual understanding feels God to love others.

Jesus is the Word of God. He is our authority. We do what He commands us to do. Some see a two Commandments dilemma. He gives us a new Commandment to Love others as He has loved us. He already has given us the two Great Commandments to Love God and to love others as we love ourselves. These two great Commandments cover all of the Scripture both New and Old. It is what we are called to do.  No matter what the Law or others say or write, if it is not the loving thing to do, do not do it. Now, how do we follow what Jesus calls us to do?

How did Jesus do it? How is He able to pray for the Centurions while on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." How can He give His Life out of Love for the sinner who does not love Him? And most of all, how does He expect us to love those that He loved? After all, didn't He say to love others as I have loved them?  How are we going to do it as a Christian?

We can use a few of our tricks to do it, "I love the sinner but I hate the sin." That ought to do it. If it doesn't, we can always say, "I love them but I do not like them." The problem here is can we hear Jesus saying these words and still be true to His command to Love us?

Spiritual understanding knows loving God and others as we love our selves is what to do. Loving others as He loved us is not what to do. It is how to do it. How did Jesus Love those who did not love Him? Those who committed the worst of crimes; who crucified Him on the Cross? He loved them in the Presence of God's Love. That is how we are to love others, to feel the Love of His Presence and then to love others.

There is one area that is most difficult to understand. Spiritual understanding is not the knowledge of how to use conscious awareness in order to sense His Presence. Spiritual understanding is actually doing it. If we walk away thinking we know how to access the Presence by conscious awareness, we are back into knowing what but not how.

Jesus made this very plain when He quoted Isaiah saying. "in vain you worship me. You worship me with your lips (rational head). But you are far from me in your heart (conscious awareness)." We all have at least one or two persons we find difficult to love. What difference does it make when you are thinking about loving them when your heart is far from Jesus and when it is open to His Presence?

Try to find the answer now before leaving this mediation and you will know How to abide in Him.