S) "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
John 14:15 (NASB)
O) After further asserting His unity with the Father, Jesus transitions into an encouraging explanation of the coming Holy Spirit. Intertwined in these two topics, He also reminds them to remain faithful and obedient to His teaching. This is blended with these topics because His authority is in His oneness with the Father, and because the Holy Spirit will lead them and remind them of all Jesus said. The most clear statement He makes, which isn't even compromised if taken out of context, is the verse above. We must remember, in reading this verse, that love is not simply an emotional response, or a feeling (although that can propel us to love), it is a decision to act, to do, to be. Love looks like a lot of different things, depending on the person we are trying to love. In the case of Christ, He has no needs for us to meet, He has no deficiency for us to fill. So going beyond adoration or affinity, our love for Christ means we should be obedient to Him, and keep His commandments (v.21) and word (v.23).
A) Yesterday, I talked about how I want to love my wife like Jesus loves her, not just like I love myself. Today, it's almost an inverse concept. I want to love Jesus, not as I love my wife, or as I love myself, or even as Jesus loves me. I want to love Him the way He wants me to love Him. In both cases, it's really a matter of submitting to the definition of love according to Christ, and with respect to the person I am loving. There will certainly be times I fail to love Christ, according to His definition. This is the same as me sometimes failing to love my wife according to His definition. However, just like a bad day doesn't mean I don't love my wife, a bad day doesn't mean I don't love Christ. The question is my over all concern, the posture of my heart, the lifestyle I keep in general. On any given day, I strive to love my wife as Jesus loves the church, and I strive to love Him by keeping His commands.
P) Father, thank You for the gospel. Thank You for Your sovereignty and grace, Your plan for redemption. Thank You for opening my eyes and ears. I want to love more accurately, Lord. I want to love Jesus like He wants me to... and my wife like He does. Let me be more dedicated to this today, than I was yesterday, and more tomorrow than I am today. Let Your will be done in me, that I might give You the love You desire, the love You deserve, and the love You define. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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