When Judas had left the gathering Jesus said to His eleven men, "I will be with you only a little longer." (John 13:33). Its true, He was going to leave them but He was not going to leave them alone. He was going to go and prepare a place for them, with the promise that He would come back for them" (See John 14:2-3).

In the mean time He promised them "another Counselor … the Spirit of truth" (John 14:17). Of this "Spirit of truth" Jesus said that He would be with them and in them (John 14:17). Life, for them, wasn't going to skip a beat. In the Holy Spirit Jesus was going to be with them in ways their minds, at the moment, could not possibly comprehend.

And of all the things the Spirit of truth was going to help them do, the most important was to "love one another" (John 13:34). The Spirit was going to work the works of Almighty God within them and through them, and at the heart of all He was going to do He was going to enable them to love one another.

How important is the love of God in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ? Jesus said, "Love one another…By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). By this! By what? What is the this to which Jesus refers? Simple and to the point: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. That's the this (pardon my English).

How are Christians to be in the world? Jesus says they are to be there as a people who love one another. Our witness is weak if it is not lived out in a community of the love God. Our testimony is flimsy if it is not lived out in a community of the love of God.

The love of God in the community of God ought to be the most outstanding feature of a faith that claims Jesus as Lord. May it be so. God help us; may it be so.