Morning Devotional

Last night I had the song, ``What's love got to with it" running through my head for some reason. Drives me nuts when this happens. especially since I only know that one line. However, as I do often I let my mind drift to God and my life.    
     What's love got to with it?
    Everything I thought. The two greatest commands;{Matthew 22} what God did for us; (John 3:16} the letter to the church in Ephesus, (1st Corinthians 13} to name a few. As I continued to think about love in Christ John 13: 34-35 crept in.
     "A new commandment I give to you, that you must love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." 
     In other words, love  actually represented a nonnegotiable part of discipleship. It was a vital instruction Jesus gave the night before His crucifixion. Love certainly for Jesus a second hand emotion. It was a first hand necessity. The Apostle Paul would say, this love was essential to the new birth. 
     Love first, question second.