Remain In His Love

John 15:10--When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. (NLT)

     John, chapters 13-17, is a record of some of the things that Jesus said to His disciples the night before He died.  Several weeks ago, my pastor, Doug Patterson, spoke from several verses of these chapters.  In his introduction to the message, he posed this question.  If you knew you were going to die within the next 24 hours, what would you do and what would you say to those who are closest to you?  I was so intrigued by that question, that I have spent most of the past weeks going over and over and over these few chapters.  I have gone over some passages very slowly with the thought in mind that Jesus must have considered this extremely important.

     Today, John 15:10 lit up inside me.  Yes, I have read it numerous times before.  But, today, it ministered to me in a stronger way.  It reminds me that God is still in control of the circumstances around me.  It encourages me in the fact that, even though it might look like things are headed in the wrong direction, His love is ever with me.

     Jesus mentioned being obedient to His Father's commandments and remaining in His Father's love.  All through His short ministry here on this earth, Jesus was never given full earthly credit for the good things that He accomplished.  He healed people in the temple.  He healed people in their synagogues.  He supernaturally provided for their needs.  Several times in the scriptures, it meantions that Jesus healed ALL that came to him.  He turned several of the tax collectors into usefull and godly men. 

     Yet, in all of this, He was kicked out of their worship areas almost immediately after he healed some one.  There was no standing ovation.  The rulers of the synagogues never bragged on Him.  The high priest never gave him a feast.  People never gave Him the keys to their city.  On the contrary, those that had the power to bless Him and honor Him refused to do so.  Those that SHOULD have paved the way for His ministry always used whatever means they had to prevent Him from ministering.

     Jesus' eyes and heart was not on the vanity of the praise of the people.  His eyes and heart was on the heart of His Father.  His Father hurt because His creation was being buffeted by an unfair power.  Jesus spent His time looking for someone to loose from sin's captivity.  He never waited on the "time to be right" or "when it looks like."  He did what He was supposed to do when He was supposed to do it.

     You see, in enduring those hard things, Jesus remained in His Father's love.  Even though He never heard the plaudits of men as He should have, He had no problem hearing what His Father said about Him.  He spent time with His Father every day.  According to John 14:1, He refused to allow His heart to be troubled over the circumstances He had to endure.  At the end of the day, He knew He had done the right thing.

     You might have been passed over for promotion.  A lesser talented person might have gotten the leadership role in the church you attend.  It might not seem like the blessings are flowing to you as they should.  There are any number of situations that "don't look like" God is pleased with you.  I am going through several of those things I mentioned myself.  The bottom line is not, "does it look like" but am I doing what God told me to do.

     Jesus was doing exactly the things His Father asked Him to do.  He, also, knew several other things.  As He prayed to His Father, He enjoyed His love.  He knew that He was going to return to His former glory with His Father.  He also knew that those enjoying the "spotlight" would reap a future reward of their own.  Therefore, Jesus ignored the contrary things people said about Him, and continued in the will of His Father.

     Let us do the same thing.  Know that you are right where God wants you to be.  Enter His presence daily and rejoice in His love.  As your relationship with our Father grows, you will know that your obedient efforts will not go unrewarded.    You will walk knowing that Our God is Faithful.