May 14, Walk with Him
You will remain in my love.
John 15:10
Jesus constantly described His relationship to the Father and our relationship to Him as one of love.
“When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His word.” From earliest childhood memories, these very familiar lyrics join many remembered lines to form a mosaic of cherished hymns in my mind. And at times, such melodious lines reemerge at just the right moment.
“When we walk with the Lord.” I love the imagery. But I also love that this is reality. One’s life of faith is indeed relational. Jewish imagery often expresses one’s life as a walk. Paul once wrote, “walk worthy,” when challenging early Christians to continued commitment of their faith (Ephesians 4:1). To “walk” indicates living, or lifestyle. Faith, then, represents a relationship: one’s daily walk with God built upon His love for us. But over the years I have noticed how this beautiful imagery of “walking with the Lord” can become replaced by a shallow and hollow perspective of pressed conformity.
Dallas Willard has commented,
“God has loved us so much that His only Son was given up to death in order to save us. In the light of this great redemptive fact we immeasurably demean God by casting Him in the role of the cosmic boss or foreman whose chief joy in relationship to mankind is taking pleasure in their conformity to His commands.”[1]
Now, certainly we are to obey. Afterall, “when we walk with the Lord” comes from a Hymn titled, “Trust and Obey.”[2] And, Jesus said clearly and emphatically, “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). But notice that Jesus has recognized the relationship as foundational to obedience. In John 15:10 our Lord said, “if you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept the Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”
Charles Ellicott (19th century scholar, professor of Divinity at Cambridge) explained,
“We should notice also that the keeping of the commandments is not an arbitrary condition imposed upon human love; but a necessary result of love itself, and therefore as true in the relation of the Son to the Father as it is in our relation to Him. Because the Son loved the Father, therefore He kept His commandments, and in this love, He abode in the Father’s love. Because we love God, we necessarily keep His commandments, and in this love is the receptive power which constitutes abiding in the divine love.”[3]
In Jesus’ context of obedience, reference is made to the heart that willingly and lovingly obeys. So, obedience is built upon the already existing relationship of love. Conversely, obedience that attempts to construct the relationship becomes cold legalism that stands in direct contradiction to God’s love for us and His mission in the world.
So today, which best describes your life of faith: walking with the Lord in a loving relationship, or an attempt at satisfying a rigid conformity to religious guidelines and expectations. The latter has turned many away from the church. Perhaps that has happened to you. But truly walking with the God of the universe through faith in Jesus becomes the only way to know Him and to know the abundant life purchased for you through the precious sacrifice of His Son.
Realize that your life of faith is described as walking with God, who perfectly and personally loves you more than you could ever imagine. HE LOVES YOU. And, as you walk with the Lord, you will discover this afresh and anew each day. And oh how you will desire to honor Him in obedience as you discover the depth of His love.
Blessings.
READ
Read John 15:1-17 and give thanks to Christ our Lord that you are truly blessed in your relationship with God.
[1] Dallas Willard, In Search of Guidance (Ventura: Regal Books), 31-32.
[2] "Trust and Obey" was written by John H. Sammis in 1887, listed in The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 467.
[3] Charles Ellicott, Commentary for English Readers, Gospel of John.