Keeping Jesus’ commands or his words is the proof of our love of Jesus. Jesus repeats this three times in today's reading in John 14:15-31. The first is, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If I love Jesus I will keep his commandments, no wiggle room. John 14:21 turns it around “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” Whoever, and that's me, has his commandments and keeps them loves Jesus. Then comes “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him” (John 14:23). Anyone, that's me again, who loves Jesus will keep Jesus’ word. “The word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s” (John 14:24). So there is no loophole for not obeying all of God's word or commandments.
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him” (John 14:21). When I love Jesus, the Father will love me. It is interesting that this is not. “God loves everyone,” but only those who love Jesus and keeps his commands. (That is something for another day.) Back to John 14:16, “He [the Father] will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” When I love and obey, I get another helper, the Spirit of Truth to be with me forever. So according to this and John 14:20, “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you,” I have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit when I love and obey. I also must remember it isn't me who is able to love Jesus, but he first loved me (1 John 4:19) and that was while I was a sinner (Romans 5:8).
Thank you, Jesus, for loving me. Help me show my love by obeying you. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to enable me to love and obey you. Help me, Holy Spirit, to listen to Jesus and rely on You for the power to obey and love Jesus.
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