If you love me, obey my commandments.
John 14:15
Jesus, I come to You today longing for Your presence.
Help me love You as You love me.
Read today’s passage again, but this time read it out loud, emphasizing the words “anyone,” “new person,” and “new life.”
Humans are fiercely independent people. Hardly anyone wants to be told what to do. There are usually two reasons people obey authority: One, they’re afraid of the consequences. They think, “If I don’t obey, I’ll get in trouble, so even though I don’t like it, I’ll do it.” Two, they want to win the approval of their authority. They think, “If I obey them, they’ll like me more, and good things will happen if they like me.”
Jesus flips this logic on its head by connecting obedience to love. We don’t obey God because we’re afraid that He’s going to punish us if we disobey. And we don’t obey God because He’s going to love us more if we do obey (or less if we don’t).
We obey to reveal that we love and trust God, because we believe His ways are best for us and for everyone around us.
REFLECT:
Why do you choose to obey God when you don’t understand the why behind it? How does obedience reveal your love for Jesus? How are trust and obedience related?
RESPOND:
Thank God for the commands He gives us, because they’re all best for us and rooted in His love for us. Ask God to shape your heart so you’ll obey as an overflow of your love for Him and trust in Him as you choose to abide in Jesus.