Today’s Reading: John 12; John 13; John 14
Scripture: John 14:15-24
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command... 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."... 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
Observation: Love and obedience. Jesus tells his disciples that obedience is the result of love. "If you love me, you will obey..."
Application: It seems to me that many who consider themselves Christians don't thoroughly obey Jesus -- that is, many are sloppy, undisciplined, and inattentive to full and careful obedience of his word. And, thinking about Jesus words in this passage, it is likely that this lack of obedience of Jesus is the result of a lack of love for Jesus. Love for Jesus should produce a passionate fervor that I see lacking in so many of my brothers and sisters -- and one that I myself need to fan into flame.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love you passionately so that I will obey you passionately as well. Stir your people to greater depths of love -- so many of us have forsaken our first love. Breathe a new freshness of your Spirit that we may be stirred with desire for you once again.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
