Love Him, That's All

"If you love me, you will obey my commandments...Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me."  John 14.15,21

 I am pretty happy to keep things simple. In all honesty, I have to. It's the best I can do. And reading verses from John reveals a simple truth: obedience is the fruit of love.

When I struggle to understand flagrant disobedience in my life, or in the life of someone I love, I am tempted to analyze and psychoanalyze, to figure out what caused this hardening of the heart. After sorting, conjecturing, blaming, fretting, I come back to that simple truth, and I pray, "Lord, cause me (or whoever) to see you more clearly. Grant revelation of who you truly are, because one glimpse of You will cause me to love You more deeply. And that will yield obedience to Your will. And I so want to obey Your will, because I want to bring glory to Your name."

There is a simple remedy: Return to love, a love for God. 

 Love for Him changes everything. Things take on new perspective, priorities fall into place, passions for holiness are restored.

And love for Him starts with Him loving us first. Of course, that's been perfectly and thoroughly accomplished. That's why you and I need to see Him, to look full in His wonderful face.

"Lord, open our eyes. Touch our hearts afresh. Let us see Your great love. Amen."