The love of Jesus

  I am amazed and in awe when I think about the love of Jesus. Jesus' love is not like human love. Jesus love for me and for you is unlike any other love that we have and will ever experience. Jesus love for you and me compelled him to step down out of the comfort of heaven and enter into this world. Jesus love compelled him to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus love compelled him to dine with sinners, offer his forgiveness freely, heal the sick, touch the leper and be associated with people that others would have nothing to do with. Jesus love compelled him to take on sin and death. His love compelled him to lay down his life for all humanity. His love compelled him to reach out to the thief on the cross next to him.

The love of Jesus cried out "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." The love of Jesus cried out, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The love of Jesus cries out, "fear not for I am with you." Jesus love is not a love that holds grudges or requires retribution. Jesus love does not require a love you in return. Jesus just loves you and me. And he said the way that others will know that we are his followers are by our love. By God's grace, as we follow Jesus, our love should become more like his. Our love for others, our forgiveness, our willingness to lay down our lives for others grows because that is what the love of Jesus does.