"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." {John 15:12-14} Every time I read these verses, it impacts me greatly. Just to know that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. We were sinners who treated Him badly. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." {Romans 5:8-10}

"When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified." {Matthew 27:29-31} He did it all because He loved us so much! Would we have the guts to lay down our lives for persons, most of whom we will never meet or come to know? We are commanded to lay down our lives for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." {1 John 3:16} But, what if the person is ungodly and treats you and your family badly? Die for them? I know I would have to think about that for a long while to convince myself! Especially, if I knew that person wouldn't even care. Yet, God found it in His heart to send His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." {John 3:16}

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." {1 John 4:9-11}

After what He did for us, all He asks us to do is love Him and one another. To obey His will. "...If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." {John 14:23} Things so simple as sitting, studying, and obeying His commandments gain us eternal life with God in heaven.

Without love, our lives in this world would be empty and without meaning. How could Christ be so willing to die for one as unworthy as I? I am humbled to think He loved me enough to take my place on that tree. Nothing I can ever do will equal what He did for me on that dark cruel day. We are truly blessed to have such a loving and merciful God! Let us never forget the price He paid for our salvation.