Scripture – ““As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
John 15:9-12 NIV
Observation – Jesus is teaching his disciples that he loves them with the same depth of love that the Father loves him. He is imploring his disciples to remain in his love by obeying his commands just as he obeys the Father’s commands. Jesus explains that the path of a joyful life is obedience to his commands and his greatest commands are to love God and love others.
Application – Everyone wants to live a joyful life. Jesus tells us exactly how to do it. Love God and love people. This sounds easy but it’s not because loving God requires us to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow him. To do this a person needs to know God’s commands and put them into practice. Loving people is often times difficult because people are often times difficult. On top of this we have our own emotions to deal with in how we “feel” about submission to God and serving and loving people who don’t always treat us well. So how can you accomplish all this and live with joy? Remain in Jesus, spend lots of time with him, read the Bible, pray, spend time with believers, serve people and trust that God is in charge. When you give your entire self to God he will give you supernatural joy that transcends your circumstances.
Prayer – Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters who have found joy elusive. I pray that they would invest more time and effort in their relationship with you. Amen.
What are you doing? Do it better 