September 8, 2024 - John‬ ‭14‬:‭21

“Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will reveal myself to him.”” John 14:21 TPT

Jesus, in this verse you said that if we truly love you, we will follow your commands. But we also see you tell us in Matthew 5 that obeying your commands isn’t about obeying a list of rules. It is about a heart attitude. You see our feelings and our thoughts. You say that it isn’t just about not murdering someone, but if we hate them, it is like we murdered them. That puts this verse in a new light. Help us to obey all that you commanded us, not only in actions, but in the way we feel and think. Help us to desire walking in righteousness and bringing honor and glory to your name greater than we desire doing what feels good to us. Help us choose to forgive even when we don’t feel like it and we think we deserve to feel the way we do. That is not the way your kingdom works. To obey you means to fully walk in your kingdom ways. When we do that, we can truly passionately love you.

Lord, we also praise you for how you passionately love us back. Your love so surpasses ours. We thank you for the way you lavish your love over us. We praise you for how you reveal yourself to us. Help us live in a way that allows more and more of that. We want all of you that you have to give us. Help us live in a way that we would never choose anything that would keep your presence from us.

In Jesus name, amen.