As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:9-11
Think on this for a minute; in the same way and with the same measure and care that the heavenly Father loved His only begotten Son; so, the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, loves you. Jesus encourages us to continue, that is abide, in His love. Then He tells us how to abide in His love. We must keep (that is obey) His commandments. We are to continuously be obedient to His commandments we are to continuously abide in His love. And, we are to do so in the same way that Jesus kept the Father’s commandments.
Some may be saying, that is impossible for me. Do you believe Jesus would require something of you that is impossible? Don’t you think that if He requires it, He will enable you to do it. I mean, He is not asking you to flap your arms and fly over the Grand Canyon. He knows that you would drop like a rock and splat when you hit bottom. The Lord just asks you to keep His commandments. The Word says that His commandments are not grievous; they are not hard to obey—if you abide in Jesus and His words abide in you.
Jesus said, “these things have I spoken to you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full.” Nothing in all the world can bring the joy that we find in serving, abiding in, and obeying Christ. Jesus had promised, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Lord Jesus, help me. Help me to abide in you and let your Word abide in me. Help me to obey your commandments and let your love overflow me and fill me. Lord, fill me continuously with your joy for “the joy of Lord is my strength.” Amen, amen and amen.
