John 13- Love

"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he know showed them the full extent of his love." (John 13:1)

Jesus is the supreme example of grace and love... He humbled himself and came to this world (Philippians 2). Then he spent all of his time with his disciples and 'the sick'. He is about to have his last super with 12 people that are going to abandon him in his greatest hours of need. One of them will utterly betray him. One of them will completely deny him. And yet the Bible says that he shows the complete extent of his love. Or in another version, 'he loved them to the last.'

I have a couple questions. 1) How is it that Jesus so relentlessly loved a group of flawed people? 2) Have I shown anyone that kind of love ever?

I cannot understand the way that Jesus is treated by his followers and yet he completely loves them. Then when I let my thoughts move toward myself I am completely staggered by the fact that Jesus loves me like that!? I have done no good thing to deserve his grace and mercy and love. Nothing. You can examine and cross examine my life and you will find that I am worse than Peter or Judas. I am a sinner and have done nothing to merit the kindness of God. Yet he loves me. Relentlessly.

Then, this verse makes me notice how insanely selfish I am. Jesus loved these guys that really are so undeserving (myself included). And I hardly love anyone other than myself. I barely make time for others in my life. I am consumed by Cory Williams and what I want to do. Jesus spent all his time with these guys... every minute. And, he actually loved them. This is not me and that needs to change.

Does the love of Christ stir your heart? Are you aware of how little you deserve from God and how he goes to any length to demonstrate his love to you?

Do you genuinely love others like you love yourself? Can you love people even when you know they have or will wrong you? Jesus did.