Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are my friends, if you obey me.
John 15:7-14
Soldiers who have been in combat know much about what it means to die for your friends. The life long loyalties of combat comrades are amazing and worthy of honor.
Jesus says the greatest way to show love for your friends is to die for them. Jesus says also that I am His friend, and thank The Lord He died for me! But what about how I show love for Jesus? He died for me, but what can I do for Him?
Dying for Jesus is for some and after they have died we call them martyrs. But we forget that physically dying is not the most sacrificial death. You can make one decision and declaration of your faith in Jesus and lose your head by a sword, but when you die to this world for Jesus it takes many decisions every day. Dying for Jesus is how we show our love for Him even as He showed His love for us on the Cross.
"Lord Jesus, thank You for showing Your love for me by dying on the Cross. May Your Spirit empower me to die to this world many times today, and to do it for You. May You be praised forever. Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment