An active love for our Lord
by Craig Heidenreich
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If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).
Read John 14:15–21
One thing that stands out to me as I read John 14 is the number of times Jesus links our love for him to our willingness to obey his commands.
This suggests to me that Jesus wants an active relationship with us, and that we are not to just passively receive.
Jesus is describing a love that goes beyond sentiment alone, a love that cares deeply about what he wants, and obeys him.
Thankfully, Jesus knows how weak we are and promises in verse 16 of our passage to help us by sending the Holy Spirit.
Under the influence of the Spirit, we don’t just ‘do things for’ Jesus – but we abide together.
So, what are these commands of Jesus to us?
We can read about his commands in Scripture. There are plenty of ‘words in red’ that give some clues as to how we are to obey Jesus. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus sums up all of the commandments as loving God and loving our neighbour.
I’d like to suggest that obeying Jesus goes deeper than just obeying principles, and that there are times when he gives me a personal command, that is specific to me.
As we love Jesus, the Holy Spirit reveals his will to us, and then he helps us live it out.
Listening to Jesus and obeying him becomes a daily ‘dance of love’. I’m just amazed that the Lord wants to be our dance partner.
Thank you, Lord, that you love us and that you promise to show yourself to us. You give great purpose to our lives by including us in your work here on earth. Help us to obey your prompting and join in your great plan to reach the world. Amen.
Craig really enjoys making friends with people from other countries and trying to learn a few words of greeting in their languages. He says it’s fun to see the joy on a person’s face when they hear their mother tongue. When he has some spare time, he’s happy renovating the home he and his wife recently purchased in Kapunda, South Australia.
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