Ponderings

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.”
What does that even mean? Reading on… John 15:10 “If you keep my commandments. You will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” So Jesus is the example here. I can only think of Philippians 2 where Jesus is described as the main example. He keeps the Father’s commandment unto death. I don’t see much love there. Perhaps there isn’t love shown during the obedience. But then again…when I give my students’ challenging work there is still love. I patiently hover, be it near or out of their sight, but I am paying attention to their every move. I am watching for any improvement in these multi step instructions I have given; what part can they now do independently? I take much care to monitor their every step. Perhaps that is how it was with Jesus on the cross. Perhaps God is hovering, may it seem out of sight; he is there. He was monitoring Christ’s every move watching the most impressive commandment follower.

Side note: I wonder how hard it was for Christ to always do the right thing. I struggle with always looking a certain way or doing the right thing. I wonder if he struggled with always obeying his Father.

So Jesus followed the Father’s commandments and now hangs out with God in Heaven, but not just in Heaven but at the right hand of God. That’s pretty cool. Being able to chat with God about anything at anytime and working alongside him. Is that what love is all about? Having a relationship and working alongside? I can take that. That is a prize worth striving for.

But wait there’s more…I read on, John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you. And that your joy may be complete.” So not only full love but now joy along with it and not just joy but Jesus’ joy planted within us. What does that look like? How is Jesus’ joy look different from my own joy? I think back to one of my first missions trip down to Mexico. I’m not sure who started it but Nate had a yellow blow up flower (I think I remember that right, but not the point) For some reason we named it joy. All through the trip we would say, “Choose Joy”. Is joy a choice? Or is it a gift? Or is it a gift that you have to choose to unwrap. Now I am asking questions in circles.

My thoughts take me to James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy my brother’s when you face trials of many kinds.” But the story doesn’t stop there. It continues (sorry it’s in a different translation then verse 2) James 1:3-4 “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect. That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Perhaps that’s what Jesus was talking about in John when he said that following God’s commandments leads to love which leads to joy. I feel I could add “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” to the list. That’s not too bad, I think I’ll sign up for that. So how do I sign up for that? By keeping Father God’s commands. Jesus said that the command that encapsulates all the commands would be Love. Loving the Father God followed by loving your neighbor. That seems like a long road but I’m ready for it. Jesus continues in John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.” Jesus did that to the end. His death on the cross was the ultimate love for us, his friends. But I’m encouraged that the story doesn’t end there. “He got up.” (a quote from one of my favorite Gospel Choir songs) The Christian story doesn’t leave Jesus, the Christ in the grave. He shows his power over death, he got up! Now that’s a God worth following unto death. It makes laying down my life for a friend not seem so bad. If he got up then my friends I will get up too.