Jesus never put obstacles or barriers between people and God. Most people carry tremendous personal burdens and he did everything possible to encourage and help them. The early Christian community decided to require only the bare minimum for gentile converts - we should never make it difficult for people to approach Jesus. We need to remember that God does not lay any unnecessary burdens on us - we can never say we are excluded or 'locked out'. And we should also remember that in our dealings with others - no obstacles, no conditions, ever! Our faith should always be a joy, not a burden or a yoke.

Jesus invited his disciples to dwell or abide always in his love. The Lord is not just for Sundays or special times but for every minute of the day. Jesus promised that he will love us in the same way that the Father loved him - quite a promise! The Lord wants us to experience the same joy that he has - there is no excuse whatsoever to turn our Christian faith into something gloomy or oppressive. But love is the key - without love on our part, we will not be able to remain in Jesus. We need to leave our negative baggage behind. As we begin each day and even throughout the day we should make a conscious effort to place ourselves in the Lord's love - and to share that with others.