“Yeshua said, I give you a new command, that you keep on loving each other. Everyone will know that you are My disciples by the fact that you have love for each other.” (John 13:34-35)
I looked out the window of my house early this morning here in beautiful South Africa. The sun streamed through lavishly upon the inland views and made its habitation in this little spot of paradise, and nature basked happily amidst this welcome intrusion. God seemed to infuse every heart-beat bursting forth; sounds and colours danced in the gentle breeze eloping across the sun-drenched landscape.
To me, the fingerprints of God were self-evident and I simply immersed myself in the warmth of His love-crested smile infused in this small microcosm of perfection. I considered myself indeed blessed from the inside out. I determined with strong
conviction that nothing is more glorious than to bathe in His Love, our spiritual
paradise. It will change every perspective we are placed in wherever we are and whoever the people may be.
Jesus gave His disciples a ‘new command,’ but why was it new? It was because he turned the impossible into possible to the whosoever rather than to isolated individuals. As we share His agape love with the abandon and simplicity of a garden paradise, words will frequently become superfluous!
In my relationship with God I have come to the conclusion that, contrary to what many people may think, first love is just the beginning of the journey not the end; the aperitif not the main course; an initial introduction to abundance not the sum of
it. Does this not spur us on to enter the fullness of His love, the fathomless depths of His riches and eternal glory of His manifest presence?
First love is like the initial baby steps that set our course. If we lose this, we lose our direction entirely. This is why it is called, ‘first love’ because there is so much more yet to anticipate. Without it, we cannot run the race but remain crawling on the floor
in our spiritual diapers.
Lord, our hearts are bursting as we race forwards, and even though we may be limping, our eyes blurred, and our mouths dry, yet we hear the sound of eternity in our ears and rejoice with exceeding joy!
