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. True love for You and others lies in keeping Your word, as You instructed us in the Ten Commandments. While it may seem like a list of dos and don’ts, it shows us how to love You and others perfectly. We must love You above all else and love others as we love ourselves.
While that may sound easy, the problem is our sin. Our desires lead us to love ourselves above all else and to do what feels right for us, regardless of how it hurts others. Our sins prevent us from loving You above all else. Due to our selfishness, we prioritize ourselves over You. Because of our sins, we are a mess and cannot uphold Your word on our own.
However, You did not leave us to fend for ourselves. 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 instill faith in us to believe in You. By faith, we love You; we hold on to Your word, and You and Your Father remain in us. Moreover, with You, our God, dwelling in us, we have the promise of salvation and eternal life that results from faith.
Let us share our faith with those who do not yet know You. We pray that faith will begin in them so that they may recognize 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!