Two-minute read.
Three times in John 14, God emphasizes loving Him through obedience. An action verb, love motivates us to want to please the Savior. Pondering on what Jesus did for us on the cross, accepting His gift of love and mercy, ignites us into action. Experiencing the new life we find in Christ makes us want to share it with others. Unconditional love that forgives the darkest sin inspires love for the Lord and others.
“Love gives all but asks all.”
Andrew Murray
God’s love defines Him. At the Creator’s core, you will find love, which creates. To express love, the Lord needs something to love. As a result, He created man in His image, to love and be loved. More powerful than any other emotion, more transforming than any other act, love changes the world, one person at a time. The more we understand the Savior’s love for us, the more we will want to love Him back, and we do that best when we obey Him.
Becoming obedient to the Lord by obeying His commands will grow you like nothing else. As you learn to love others through God’s teachings, you will discover how much He loves you. Every divine command exhibits the Creator’s love for His creation. The divine rules we live by protect us from the world’s manipulations, keeping us out of the weeds of human emotions, and allowing us to bloom flowers of light.
Express your love for the Savior by obeying His commands. Discover God’s love as you do what He says. Grow and flourish in the bouquet of love the Lord created. In Christ, we will enjoy unconditional, sacrificial, and unselfish love that we can find nowhere else. Jesus gives freely to all regardless of the recipient’s merit or response. Christ defines Himself by actions that serve others with no thought to His personal cost. We must choose to seek the good of others, even our enemies. Agape love, that which Jesus embodies, has no conditions, never ends, and displays patience, kindness, and lack of envy or pride.
Obeying the Lord helps us express agape love in human form. Although we will never do it perfectly, we can try to obey God and become more like Jesus. Let the Creator’s love inspire you to obedience. Bless the Savior with your actions as you do what He did. Let your light shine in the darkness, permeating the heartache of the world, and illuminating hope and healing in the Lord.
Journal Questions:
In what ways do you struggle with obedience?
Do you have difficulty accepting God’s love for you?
In what ways can you obey God today?
Application:
Show your gratitude through action.
