Nick Taylor

John 15:9-17
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=John+15%3A9-17

Those who've been in my study in the vicarage will have seen a framed hand-written version of this, which I did during an 8-day individually-guided retreat, while I was on sabbatical in 2006.
The passage means a lot to me because it condenses into these verses so much of what Christianity is about.

It reminds me that the biggest challenge to us, and the basis of most religions, is love - love coming from God and being allowed to flow through us to the world around.
I believe we don't spend enough time appreciating and experiencing God's love for us, and consequently aren't very well-stocked with love for other people or ourselves.
The passage invites us into an intimate relationship with the Holy Trinity, to be part of the relationship which exists between the Father and the Son. Then the Holy Spirit can freely produce God's fruit in us. We need to spend more time feasting on this relationship into which God invites us.