info DAY 4 // VISION TO BE LOVED
RAY HARMON – EAGLE CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
John 15:9-14 (NIV)
Sometimes I get silly old songs stuck in my head. Do you? For instance, when considering today’s topic, the Beatles’ song, “Love is All You Need,” came to mind. And the more I listen to such lyrics the sillier they seem… However, might there be some truth to this simple chorus?
As we read the passage of the above passage, there is much to consider. There can be NO greater love than that which is between our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Love is part of God’s perfect character (1 John 4:8). Jesus loves us with that same love. Since we can’t know as God knows because we are not God, Jesus gave us a very tangible way for us to understand His love for us; He gave up His life for us. When we can take hold of God’s love for us, it is then that we can experience true and complete joy that surpasses understanding.
According to this passage, the way to take hold of God’s love, to experience His joy, is by obeying His commands. Specifically, the command given here is to love our brothers and sisters in the family of God. There are many other commands like this given in the Bible. The point is, sometimes our physical nature (flesh) gets in the way. Sometimes, we fail to live in obedience to God’s commands. Instead, we live for ourselves. We get slack in our quiet times. We start praying less and less. We begin looking for affirmation from work, hobbies, or other people.We will do anything that will make us “feel good”. Ah, but there is the deception! When our flesh gets in the way, we may “feel good” for a short time, but we have lost our joy.
As we shall be reminded at the Fusion Conference, clear vision comes as we draw near to our Heavenly Father in the Word and in prayer. It is there that we are reminded of the greatness of His love. It is there we begin to develop a vision to live for Him and not for ourselves. Instead of thinking of the Beatles’ song, let’s consider this one by Stuart Townsend,
“How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.”
Can you see clearly now?
