When Jesus was asked what the greatest Commandment is He said this: “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second is like it; love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:30 & 31).
I see such a great illustration in the image of the cross; there is the vertical and the horizontal.
The vertical points us to Christ. It is the foundation. It is the Earth to Heaven connection. It is where we are reminded of the fact that He loved us before we could ever love him. In fact, we can only love because He loved us first. It is our firm foundation from which we can love at all. It is where we are able to pray “On earth as it is in heaven.” It is our source .
And out of that source, we are able…in fact, we are commanded, to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. This is the horizontal aspect of the cross. Where these two aspects: the vertical heaven to earth, and us to our neighbors, come together, is strongly rooted in understanding His love for us.
If we are not abiding in the love that He first had for us, how then can we love anyone else?
We are loved by love itself. Believe it, receive it, and love others with it!
~ Susan Kewin
Christ Fellowship