May 20, RELATE

As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.

John 15:9

Jesus compared His relationship with the Father to His relationship with you and me. Astounding!  We cannot minimize this reality in the least, for these words speaks clearly to the security of love one receives from Jesus.  

“As the Father has loved me.” The Greek tense of the original text expresses the permanence of the relationship.  

“I have also loved you.”  The same tense and expression continue.  This serves as the prominent theme, for Jesus has declared that His love for His disciples stands perfectly compared to the Father’s love for Himself. 

“Remain in my love.”  Again, we have the same tense and expression (that of permanence), but in this final statement the emphasis shifts to include the response to what has been made permanent.  We are called to abide in His love.  We are called to abide in that which has been made permanent by the love and grace of God.  We do not abide to maintain the relationship, but we abide because the relationship has been made secure.  

Jesus followed this statement with, “if you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”   “Keeping His commands” is not an arbitrary condition imposed on love, but the necessary result of love itself.  We follow, obey, honor, respect, make time for, and give our allegiance and every waking thought to that which serves as the prime affection of our soul.  Jesus beautifully emphasized this as He encouraged His followers – then and now – to abide in His love, which is perfect and fails not.  And in that abiding, Jesus has called us to follow His commandments in order to move ever deeper in understanding and knowing Him.  It truly is all about the relationship.

Today, resolve that your heart’s chief focus, and your life’s most significant aim, is to remain (abide, dwell) daily in the love relationship Jesus has formed with You. There Is no other way!

It is truly all about the relationship.  This becomes our daily priority, passion, purpose, and pursuit.   

Blessings.

READ

Read John 15:1-10 and be encouraged to abide in HIS love today.