Love to the Uttermost

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9)

The Father’s love is greater than we understand. In a few short hours after this teaching from Jesus, the disciples would see with shocking clarity how far God would go to display divine love as Jesus went to the Cross. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Here we see the ultimately selfless nature of God and divine love: giving to the uttermost, even love that moves toward divine sacrifice.

Lord, teach me to see this and know this even more clearly. Form me to savor this and grasp it more fully.

Grace me that “rooted and grounded in love,” I might “have to strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” that I might “be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Help me to remain—to abide—in Your love and thus overflow with Your love to others. Give me new life in Your life and love.

Strengthen me. Plant me. Deepen me. Overpower me. I am Yours.