Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21 ESV
It can be challenging to fully comprehend how much God loves us. John 3:16 tells us that God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten son. One can easily miss the profundity of this verse. The Son of God was the manifestation of God in Human form. Simply put, God sacrificed Himself for humanity’s salvation because of His love for us. That love was first demonstrated in the creation story. The Almighty God created us in His image and breathe Himself into us so He would always be with us.
Love is also a fundamental characteristic of the divine. God is not only love, but He created us so He can teach us about love by loving us with everlasting love. He calls us to love just as He loves. However, our love is always tainted by selfish desires because of sin. We will never be able to love as Jesus loves; the Lord does not expect us to. But we can embody His love and live as instruments of love so others will know how much He loves them.
I am fascinated with God’s love for me. I often find myself undeserving of His love. Yet, that is precisely what divine love is. The Lord loved us while we were rebelling against us. He loves us when we are godly or sinful. Indeed, God never stops loving us.
One of the reasons I love God with all my heart, mind, body, and soul is because He first loved me by paying a price He did not owe. God’s sacrificial love for me demonstrated at Calvary ensures my salvation and assures me of His amazing grace and mercy. Another reason why I love Jesus so much is because of His patience with me. God never gives up on me. He never forsakes me nor condemns me. God has been my best friend, mother, father, provider, healer, and lover of my soul. When I sin, He disciplines me with grace. He is my fortress and my shield against the attacks of enemies seen and unseen.
Moreover, I love Jesus because He gives my life purpose. He created me to do great works (Ephesians 2:10) and has ordained me to do His great commission work to enlarge His kingdom on earth. Because of Jesus, I wake up every day with the confidence that I can do all things because of His Holy Spirit who gives me strength. In times of sorrow, I am reminded of His unfailing love and His comforting grace eases my pain.
I love Jesus because He gives me joy in sadness, peace in times of trouble, strength in my weakness, and hope in despair. Therefore, when I am hard-pressed on all sides, I know that I will not be crushed. When I am persecuted by my enemies, I know that I will overcome and not be forsaken. When I am struck down, I have the ultimate confidence that I will not be destroyed. Even when my life comes to an end, I know I will reign with Jesus forever.
Jesus does not ask much from us to demonstrate our love for Him. All we must do is keep His commandments. Indeed, it is our obedience to His commandments that demonstrates our love for Jesus. When we do His great commission work of spreading the gospel and making disciples, we are showing our love for Him. When we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, help the poor, fight for justice, and stand in solidarity with the poor, we are demonstrating our love for Him.
Going to church does not necessarily reflect our love for Jesus. After all, the devil and His demons go to church as well. But when we put His word into practice and obey His commandments to the best of our abilities, we demonstrate our love for Him. In return, the love of the Father will saturate our souls and we will experience the fullness of God in every aspect of our lives.
Questions for Personal Reflection
Why do you love Jesus?
How do demonstrate your love for Jesus?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, thank you for loving me with everlasting love. Please help me to walk in obedience to your commandments so I can demonstrate my love for you. Remind me of your love for me when I feel unloved.
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