Abide in My Love
Scripture Passage: John 15:9-17 (NASB)
9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.
SUMMARY
In this passage we get a clear picture of Jesus' deep love for His disciples as He tells them, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. Jesus emphasizes the importance of keeping His commandments in order for them to abide in His love. Then, the joy of heaven will overflow within them. His commandment is to love one another, just as Jesus loved each one of them. Jesus defines what the greatest love is, to lay down one's life for one’s friend, which was exactly what Jesus was about to do for them.
Jesus tells the disciples that they are now His friends and no longer slaves. They have been chosen and appointed by Jesus so that they may bear fruit that's everlasting. Jesus gives them a powerful promise that whatever they ask in Jesus' name will be given.
He gives them a direct and clear command to love one another.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
Jesus tells His disciples that He loves them just as His Heavenly Father loved Him. It is a perfect agape love which is immeasurable, eternal, and abiding. Jesus was about to establish a new covenant by His own blood on the cross. Unlike the requirements of the Mosaic law of the endless sacrifices of animal blood, Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God and the true High Priest, satisfied the requirements for the atonement of sin on our behalf, once and for all. So, by His death, He has made the way for us to have life by entering into a new covenant of love.
The greatest commands are to love God and to love others. Jesus reminds His disciples that the key to abiding in Him is to keep His commandments. When we give ourselves fully to obey His commandments, we are cherishing His Word and our hearts will be aligned with the heart of God. Then, since God is love, His very essence will flow naturally through us.
When we put our trust in the work done on the cross, we come under God’s grace and our identity radically changes from slaves, to sons and daughters of our Heavenly King. As new creatures, Jesus calls us His friends. We are no longer enemies of God, but marked with a seal of the Holy Spirit and sprinkled by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
APPLICATION
Personally, I find so much comfort in Jesus' word, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love" (v. 9).
His commandment is simple- it's to abide in Him, and love others. Often I find myself feeling like I don't measure up to my calling as a child of God. Jesus gave it all for me. His flesh was ripped off when He was flogged, and He had to endure agonizing pain and humiliation. On the other hand, I'm still easily distracted and easily shaken as I live in this world. When I choose to "abide" in His Word, prayer, and worship, it is then that I can hear my loving Savior say, "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have finished the work for you. Abide in Me and know My heart - My heart of love for you and for the world." When I'm deeply immersed in His love during these intimate and quiet moment, His love resounds so loudly, as deep cries to deep. It's the undying, relentless love for me, for His Church, for the broken and the lost.
His love propels us to the people around us - even as Jesus said, "I chose you, and appointed you that you would GO and bear fruit" (v. 16).
Yes, it feels wonderful to sit in God's presence. Sometimes, I just want to stay in those warm and blissful moments. But, I have to be willing to get up and "GO" where His Spirit will lead me, not so that I can earn His "favor" or love, but BECAUSE I love Him and out of gratitude.
I know that I need His power and grace to live out the calling He has for me. I want to bear fruit that is everlasting - the fruits of love, peace, and everlasting joy.
PRAYER
Father, thank You for making a way for me to enter into Your presence. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me not only the hope of heaven through Your ultimate sacrifice of love, but also choosing me to bear fruit. Jesus, please help me to abide in You and remain in Your love. Help me to treasure the love relationship I have with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit living in me. Cover me with Your grace so that I may walk in the power of the Holy Spirit each day, knowing that my days are numbered.
I pray that You will use me to bring hope and renewed strength to my family, friends, coworkers, and the people I meet this week.
I pray that during these dark days of this pandemic, you will give me Your heart to love those that are hurting and fearful.
May I not strive to do "great” things but to simply obey my calling for this hour and time. "For such a time as this” have I been chosen by You to be an ambassador of love and to shine Your light in this dark world. Please help me God. It is all You from beginning to end.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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