BIBLE PASSAGE(s):
Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who
loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I too will love them and show Myself to them.
(John 14:21)
If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just
as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.
(John 15:10)
MEDITATION:
The value of relationships is often determined by the level of love between
two people. This is true in a marriage, but it can also be true in friendships.
If there is no love from either party, the relationship can be doomed to fail.
If love only exists in one half of a relationship, then it is still lacking something
very valuable. However, if there is love from both people, then the relationship
is very promising.
Where there is love, there is evidence of commitment.
Where there is love, there is evidence of patience and tolerance.
Where there is love, there is evidence of forgiveness and understanding.
Where there is love, there is evidence of caring and concern.
Where there is love, there is evidence of sacrifice and selflessness.
This describes quality relationships between two people,
but it also describes a quality relationship with the Lord.
We know He has patience and tolerance for us,
because He loves us unconditionally.
We know He is forgiving,
because He established a plan of salvation for everyone.
We know He is understanding,
because He is patient with us even when we fail.
We know He is caring and concerned,
because He gave us His Word to show us how to improve our life.
We know He is sacrificial and selfless,
because He gave His Only Son for us. He has made a full commitment
to every individual and wants everyone to avoid eternal punishment at
the end of life, but also to enjoy a relationship with Him while we live.
We know the Lord has fulfilled His ‘side’ of the relationship equation,
but what about the ‘other side’ – which is us? Are we nourishing our
relationship with the Lord? Are we patience and tolerant with Him
when we don’t understand His ways?
Do we forgive ourselves in the same manner that He forgives us?
We may be thankful that He forgives us, but for various reasons
we can’t forgive ourselves or fully accept His forgiveness. Do we
try to be understanding of Him and accept His guidance whenever
He leads us in a direction we never expected?
He may ask us to leave our ‘comfort zone’ so we can do something He
has planned for us. Do we balk and find reasons why it’s not a good
idea, or do we have confidence, understanding, and trust that He
knows what He’s doing? If He didn’t want us to experience His best,
then He would not have given us His Word as His ‘life instruction’ book.
Are we as sacrificial and selfless as He has been with us? We can claim
to love the Lord, but our love may be questioned whenever it requires
sacrificing anything for Him, including time or money.
Overcoming selfishness could be one of the greatest struggles for many
Christians. Yet, He is selfish for us in a good way – He wants us to be the
best, and have His best.
The last area of concern regarding our relationship with the Lord is our
level of commitment. Jesus left no doubt of His commitment – He went
to the cross and gave His life for us. However, there are believers who
are not willing to give their life for Him in return.
Some try to fit the Lord into their own lives and desires, instead of fitting
their lives into His world and His commands. Some are guilty of selecting
the commands they will obey, and discarding or ignoring others through
their own justifications.
For instance, God made it clear that He wants all believers to meet
together to support each other and worship Him. But some will say,
“I can worship the Lord just fine by myself!”
That’s true, and we should worship Him alone, but it should be in addition
to worshipping with others. Worshipping Him only alone, is not obeying His
command, and it shows a lack of ‘total’ commitment. God doesn’t want us
to only ‘go to church’, He wants us to ‘be His church’, and we can’t do that
by worshipping alone. If all believers choose to ignore His command, to
’meet together’, we would see the complete disappearance of church buildings.
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– How is my love relationship with the Lord?
– What is my commitment level?
– Do I expect all His blessings as a reward for my partial commitment?
God has given us His commandments and some of them can be hard to obey.
However, we should never stop trying our best to obey them as proof that we
do, in fact, love Him in totality. Jesus tells us how we can determine if we have
failed to adequately love Him.
Anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching.
These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the
Father who sent Me.
(John 14:24)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your undeniable love for me. Thank
You for loving me when I feel unlovable, thank You for forgiving me
when I feel unforgivable, and thank You for blessing me when I feel
I don’t deserve Your blessings. Thank You, Jesus for showing me what
sacrificial love looks like when You went to the cross for me. Forgive
me if I have created a list of commands I will obey and have justified
not obeying others. Help me to be as totally committed to You, as You
are to me. I pray that You will ‘renew my mind’ so I will observe Your
commands in the right way, and my relationship with You will increase.”
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