READING: 1 Chronicles 2-3, John 14
John 14 never fails to remind me of God’s expectation that I will obey Him as His child. Indeed, Jesus not only calls for obedience, but He also connects that obedience to our love for Him:
- “If you love me, you will keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
- “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words.” (John 14:23-24)
What is true in the positive must also be true in the negative in this case; that is, if I don’t obey Jesus, I’m revealing my lack of love for Him. When I sin, I apparently love something – an act or an attitude of the heart—more than I love Jesus. I make a choice to focus on and follow the temporary more than on the One who is eternal, and that’s an unwise move to make. In fact, it’s an unloving move in the face of a God who loves us supremely.
I want to obey Jesus’ commands, but not simply because He’s God and has a right to tell us how to live. I want to obey Him because I love Him.
PRAYER: “Father, I want to love You so much that I not even think about crossing lines that displease You.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Chronicles 4:1-6:30, John 15:1-25
