John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Dear Lord Jesus,
We are to love by loving one another and you. Love is holding to your word. You have instructed us how to do this, and that was given to us in the Ten Commandments. While it seems like a list of dos and don’ts, it tells us how we are to love you and others perfectly. We love you above all other things and others as we love ourselves.
While that sounds too easy, the problem is our sin. Our desires are to love ourselves above all other things and do what feels right for us regardless of how it hurts others. This thinking prevents us from loving you above all other things because of our selfishness—loving ourselves over you. We are a mess and cannot hold to your word on our own.
However, you did not leave us on our own. You came here to forgive us for all our selfish and prideful ways; you suffered our punishment on the cross. Then you sent us your Holy Spirit to begin faith in us to believe in you. By faith, we love you; we then hold to your word, and you and your Father remain in us. Moreover, with you, our God, remaining in us, we have the promise of salvation and eternal life resulting from faith.
Let us share our faith with those who do not yet know you. We pray that faith will begin in them, and they will know your love, remain in your word to be united with you and the Father and enjoy the peace of forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest!