John 15:10 -- If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Yesterday it was quite clear the word ABIDE or MENO in the Greek was quite important. This morning as I went to move to the next verses, I was drawn back to John 15:10.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love…
When Jesus said this to His disciples they had been living, breathing, walking, talking, eating, and listening to Jesus, every single day for three years.
Stop and think about that for a moment. Every day, every hour, every mile walked, every sundown, every sunrise, every meal, all spent with Jesus for three years… or one thousand ninety-five days (1,095).
So, when Jesus looks them in the eye and says…
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
…they KNEW exactly what those commandments were and exactly how Jesus had kept His Father's commandments. They KNEW because their entire lives had been wrapped up in Jesus, every hour, of every day, in every action from breakfast to bedtime.
They KNEW His commandments and the example He gave with His Father because they KNEW Jesus. They didn't just know about Jesus; they KNEW Jesus personally.
As a Christian, a follower of Jesus, do you have that kind of relationship with Jesus? Do you KNOW exactly what His commandments are? Keep in mind He's told us we must keep them in order to abide in His love.
Pray, talk with Him, and open your Bible today. See Him. Hear Him. Walk with Him in the Word. This is such a huge and vital piece missing from the Christian life now. We go to church. We raise our hands in worship. We do good deeds. We bring pie for the picnic. We shake hands with Brother Bob and give a side hug to Sister Suzie. We even acknowledge Holy Spirit, especially when we need some healing or miracles done…………
...... BUT where is the day by day, wake up with Him, talk with Him (prayer), walk with Him, eat with Him, share with Him, listen to Him, obey Him? Where is that time just spent in His Word with Him? Praying and talking with Him? Taking in His words, His character, His love, His wisdom, His direction?
I realize it's hard to wrap our minds around having an ongoing relationship with the Lord. Going to church, serving, doing good deeds, talking to others, these are all good things that should be byproducts of our relationship with Him. Without the relationship piece, all those things are just empty, cathartic rituals we do for ourselves, in His name of course. They are empty and powerless.
I beseech you Christian, follower of Jesus, do not forsake His Word. Do not let the distractions and busyness of life keep you from His Word or prayer. If you aren't in the Word regularly, daily even, your mind is not being renewed by it, which means you are instead being pressed into the mold of this world.
Just something to think about today.
Never forget you are loved, you are prayed over, you are not alone.
Comments