Wednesday, November 8
Do what He says
Scripture: John 14
John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
John 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.
John 14:23–24 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. 24 The person who does not love me does not obey my words. And the word you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
Observation
John 13-17 are Jesus’ words in the upper room with His disciples—one of the richest passages in Scripture.
Three times in this chapter Jesus connected love and obedience. If you love Jesus, you do what He says. And if you don’t love Him, you don’t obey.
Love is far more than an emotion. It is doing what is best for another no matter what it costs you. Love is doing—and in these verses, it is doing what Jesus says. It is no good to say you love God and then ignore His words. If you love Him, you want to please Him. You do what He says.
In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) we are commanded to make disciples by teaching them to obey everything Jesus said. Disciples do what Jesus said because they love Jesus.
Love is doing…love for Jesus is doing what He says.
Application
Today, I want to love Jesus practically by doing what He says, whether it is what He said in Scripture, or what He says by the Spirit whom He promised. I want to be listening to both Word and Spirit, and be quick to obey—not out of obligation but love. Devotion to Jesus is practical—do what He says.
Prayer: Lord, I love You. I say that often. I know it’s more than a warm feeling—it is devotion that expresses itself in obedience. Help me listen and do what You say.
More: Nehemiah 5-6, Luke 8