Jesus said LOVE!
What does this mean anyway? How does it work? Why is it so hard to do? It is so hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that the greatest commandment is to love God with everything, and others with everything. The reason it is so hard is because it’s not meant to be something that I do. He requires love from us because if we are truly loving Him and others, that means our lives are found in Him, the Vinedresser. When we try to love people in our own strength, it only goes so far. Eventually, loving people becomes too much for us. We feel burdened and weighed down, annoyed or judgmental of others (ourselves included) and crash. I find myself in this place often. I start out excited about loving a certain person and even begin with the right intentions and heart, but sometimes, in the middle of it all, I lose sight of the One Who is working in me and take over in my own strength.
 
I forget the purpose of it all-CHRIST IN ME! It is CHRIST IN ME that loves. He asks us to be His vessel, fit for His use. This kind of love is hard to attain, you say.. YES! It is! But it is Him who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. It is supposed to be hard to attain-impossible actually. We need Jesus to love! We can’t do it ourselves! To love the people of Byron Bay, I need Jesus! Because without Him, this yoke is not easy. They hate Jesus here, but when He is working through me, only love pours out right back at them. Who will save this place? Not me! But Christ in me, the Hope of Glory!