December 12

Caught of God to love one another. — 1 THESS. iv. 9.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. — JOHN xv. 12.

THE words are last words of the Christ. They are repeated for the emphasis. The truth is, the first clause is a sort of summary of all he had to say, just as the last clause is a summary of all he did and was.

Christ's work began and was wrought in love. His victory was won through love. His greatness lay in his love. God is love, and God in Christ was only manifested love, — love working at all costs. Man's greatness was to be like Christ's. Christ contradicts the human instinct about being great. Men were to rise above other men, become truly great within themselves, and do truly great things in the world, not by rivalries and hate, but by helpfulness and love. God would measure men by that. Men who had felt Christ would measure themselves by that. And the world should be redeemed, the evil in it overcome, wrongs righted, men be saved, Christ's kingdom come, — all by the power of love. It all would cost men suffering. It cost Christ suffering; but there was no other way. There is no other hope of redemption for the world, save in this love — Christ's and men's — Christ's working through men.

Eleanor Caldwell Moore

Hence may all our actions flow, — Love the proof that Christ we know; Mutual love the token be, Lord, that we belong to thee. Love, thine image, love impart; Stamp it now on every heart. Only love to us be given; Lord, we ask no other heaven!

C. WESLEY.