ESOCS Devotional 16 August 2025 – Love to the End
MEMORY VERSE: “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” John 13:1
TEXT: JOHN 13:1-11
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 And [a]supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
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Love is a major virtue that has eternal placement. The reason is not far-fetched; God is love and God is the ‘I am that I am’, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending, the Alpha and Omega. If you go to the beginning, He is there; eventually, if you get to the end, you will find Him there. He is the Latitude and the Longitude, the North Pole and the South Pole. Therefore, if the God who is Love personified does not have a break or end, it means Love is meant to remain eternally.
Our text reveals that Jesus came into the world on the platform of His Love for the people: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” (John 3:16); He died on the cross at Calvary bearing the sins of the entire world: “Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man may lay down his life for his friend” (John 15:13); He loved them all to the end.
This is very striking and soul touching – the same people that despised and rejected Him when He came (John 1:10-11), mocked and crucified Him; yet, He loved to the end. While carrying the cross, He kept loving in such pain and agony. While hanging on the cross, He continued the love, even with the shame and provocation by the hardness of the people He loved. When He died and stayed in the grave for 3 days, He was preoccupied by love for His people. And when He eventually rose from the dead on the third day, love was uttermost in His heart: “… but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17).
Beloved, what is it that will make you stop loving your brother or sister with whom you share the same biological home? What will make you stop loving your parents? Show me what will make you to end the love you have for your spouse? Tell me what will prompt you to cease loving your Children? At what juncture would you stop loving your in-laws? Beloved, tell me what will make you to stop loving your fellow Christian brethren? Jesus tolerated all we did to Him and loved us to the end. What about you? Remember, God is love. God is everlasting, and therefore Love is Eternal.
CHALLENGES
- Make up your mind to love people to the end
- Prepare your heart to forgive people irrespective of their action
- No matter what people do to you, ensure you forgive and still love them.
PRAYER POINT
- Father, thank you for your everlasting love you have bestowed on us. Forgive us of our inability to love, as you do and grant us the grace to henceforth love eternally, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Zechariah 8:1-23; Romans 8:27-39; 9:1-15
ESOCS Devotional 16 August 2025
