Love Jesus? Do What He Says

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15 (NIV)

Jesus said you show your love for him when you do what he tells you to do.

This doesn’t mean your love for him is an obligation. That’s the quickest way to destroy love; besides, love is not demanding (1 Corinthians 13:5 NLT).

It means, because you love Jesus, you care about the things that matter to him. You become one with the will of Jesus, and his will is to always do what the Father tells him to do. In this way, you become one with Jesus and one with your heavenly Father.

This oneness is reinforced by the Holy Spirit working within us, connecting us to God and to other believers. You, then, love God “with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind” (Luke 10:27 CEV).

The more you obey God in the details of your life, the more real he becomes to you. You begin to see, day in and day out, that God faithfully levels the path before you and covers the path you leave behind.

Jon Walker is the author of Breakfast with Bonhoeffer, Costly Grace, and Growing with Purpose. He is managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Hope devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2013 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.