Rocky Cape Christian Community

Lieder der Hutterischen Brüder, 564

Love: The highest command God gave us. The one that has love, has God. God is love, and if we remain in love, we know that God lives in us and we in his Son.

Love compelled God to send his Son to warn us of our lost condition in the world. Before we loved him, Christ loved us in word, life, and deed, giving us an example that we should follow in his steps.

For love he stood surrendered (gelassen) before the Father, prepared to accept anything he would meet on earth—prepared to lose life itself. So we should stand surrendered, letting go of all conceivable things, to cling to God in love.

Love compelled Christ, early and late, day and night, to struggle for the rescue of our souls. So let us give ourselves to seeking one another’s good. For love he took joy, suffering, and pain, however they came. So we should accept, in love, whatever God gives us. He proved his love in word, in life, and in deed. He loved the little children that came to him, and if we love like he loved, the world will see that we are his disciples.

Hans Schmidt,        -1558, Raiffach, Tirol, Austria