Lent Devotional - Day 28
Read John 14:15-31.
Jesus makes it clear that to love him is to keep his commands. In fact, Jesus tells his disciples:
Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
If we misunderstand belief, it’s easy to think that here Jesus is promoting works for salvation. I thought all we needed to do was put our faith in Jesus, simply to believe in Jesus and we will be saved. The answer is a resounding, “Yes!”
The problem is that in western thought, we have separated belief from action, where we assume belief is something that simply happens in the deep recesses of our mind or heart. In the context of this passage we can equate belief with love.
So if we love Jesus, we will be saved. Love also isn’t merely a feeling or a thought that occurs in our mind, but a decision and a conviction that leads to a variety of actions: doing the dishes, sitting with your lover, spending time with them, writing them love poems and more. In love, we don’t condemn the actions, rather we know that love without actions is no love at all; just empty words and promises.
The motivation of our actions is important. When you are in love, the actions springs forth as a result. We don’t do these things to earn love or to be accepted. If we did that, it reveals that there was no genuine relationship to begin with.
So the same is true for our faith and belief. Our faithful actions or believing actions are the evidence for our faith/belief. The action called upon by Jesus is obedience; not just religious activity or simply doing good, but obedience. This requires listening to his voice and doing what he tells us. This is how Jesus lived and carried out his ministry. He simply did everything the Father told him to do. His motivation being that he loved the Father. They loved one another so much that there is union and a oneness, which we are invited into.
Jesus loves you very much. He wants to move in your life in such a way that you will experience the blessings of the fullness of his life in you. So don’t hold back your love for him and don’t be calculated in your love for him, but like Mary, be willing to break open the expensive jar of perfume to lay it down at his feet. Break open your heart and pour it out at the feet of Jesus. Love Jesus extravagantly.