Wednesday may 21, 2025
Because I Love You
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” – John 14:15 (NRSV)
Reflection: Have you ever done something just because you had to and not because you wanted to?Now think about a time you did something out of love or gratitude. That feels different, doesn’t it?That’s the kind of obedience Jesus is talking about in this verse. He doesn’t say, If you want to be accepted or If you’re afraid of punishment. He just says, “If you love me.”It’s not a command shouted from a mountaintop it was a tender statement spoken in a goodbye conversation between Jesus and His closest friends. He knew the road ahead would be hard. And instead of giving them a checklist, He gave them a relationship, grounded in love, trust, and guided by the Holy Spirit.Friends obedience without love is just religion and obedience with love is relationship.God doesn’t want your performance He wants your heart. When you know you’re already loved, obedience becomes a response, not a requirement. God’s grace is free but it calls us to live fully. Not to earn His favor, but because we already have it. That’s the difference between dead religion and living faith. When you feel stuck or stagnant in your faith you are not disqualified. We all have seasons when we feel stagnant, spiritually dry, tired, or unmotivated. It’s not a sign of failure it’s an invitation. An invitation to reconnect. To rest. To realign. An invitation to ask the hard questions like: Am I trying to do this on my own? Have I lost sight of the Source? Do I need the Spirit to stir my soul again? Friends Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” (John 15:4) Branches don’t bear fruit by trying harder they bear fruit by staying connected to the vine.
Consider This:
- Am I obeying from love or obligation?
- Have I made space for the Holy Spirit to help me, guide me, and empower me?
- What’s one small act of obedience I can take today—because I love Jesus?
Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You for being my Helper, not my drill sergeant. Thank You for comforting and not condemning me. Forgive me when I’ve tried to push through on my own. Renew my hunger for God. Stir my soul with a fresh desire to know Jesus, whether brand new or all over again. Lead me with Your wisdom and strengthen me with Your presence. Because I trust You, I thank You, and I love You.
Amen.