Love As I Have Loved You

"This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12)

This is the second time in this parable that our Lord is our example. The first time it was in His relationship to the Father, keeping His commandments, and abiding in His love. Even so, we are to keep Christ's commandments, and abide in His love. The second time He speaks of His relationship to us as the rule of our love to our brethren. "Love one another, as I have loved you." In each case, His disposition and conduct is to be the law of ours. It is again the truth we have more than once insisted upon - perfect likeness between the Vine and the branch.

Even as I. But is it not a vain thing to imagine that we can keep His commandments, and love the brethren, even as He kept His Father's, and as He loved us? And must not the attempt end in failure and discouragement? Undoubtedly, if we seek to carry it out in our own strength, or without a full understanding of the truth of the Vine and its branches. But if we understand that the "even as I" is the one great lesson of the parable - the one continual language of the Vine to the branch - we will see that it is not a question of what we feel able to accomplish, but of what Christ is able to work in us.

These high and holy commands - "Obey, even as I! Love, as I" - are just meant to bring us to the consciousness of our weakness. Through them, we will be made aware of the need and the beauty and the sufficiency of what is provided for us in the Vine. We will begin to hear the Vine speaking every moment to the branch: "Even as I. Even as I: My life is your life. You have a share in all My fullness. The Spirit in you, and the fruit that comes from you, is all just the same as in Me. Be not afraid, but let your faith grasp each "Even as I" as the divine assurance that because I live in you, you may and can live like Me."

But why, if this really is the meaning of the parable and the life a branch may live, why do so few realize it? Because they do not know the heavenly mystery of the Vine. They know much about the parable and its beautiful lessons. But, the hidden, spiritual mystery of the Vine in His divine omnipotence and nearness, bearing and supplying them all the day - this they do not know. They have not waited on God's Spirit to reveal it to them.

Love one another, as I have loved you. "Ye, even as I." How are we to begin if we really want to learn the mystery? With the confession that we need to be brought to entirely new mode of life. We must do so because we have never yet known Christ as the Vine in the completeness of His quickening and transforming power. With the surrender to be cleansed from all that is of self, and detached from all that is in the world, to live only and wholly as Christ lived for the glory of the Father. And then with the faith that this "even as I" is indeed what Christ is ready to make true, the Vine will maintain that very life in the branch wholly dependent on Him.

Even as I. Ever again it is, my blessed Lord, as the Vine, so the branch - one life, one spirit, one obedience, one joy, one love.

Lord Jesus, in the faith that You are my Vine, and that I am Your branch, I accept Your command as a promise, and take Your "even as I" as the simple revelation of what You work in me. Yes, Lord, as You have loved, I will love. Amen

~Andrew Murray~