November 21, 2017 – John 15:10-11

We are born needing Joy.  The joy of receiving comfort, food, and rest.  There is another Joy, capitalized, we need from the time we come into this world.  This is acceptance,  belonging, and love. We adore the one who feeds us, but we always obey the one who loves us unconditionally.

How did Jesus love? Unconditionally. Despite our sin, Jesus forgives. In John 11:40, Jesus responds to the sister of the buried Lazarus…“Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” Jesus wept, when He saw the pain of Martha and Mary.  Then Jesus, through the power of God, raised Lazarus from the dead.

When Jesus died on the cross, He felt those on earth, and their sin. He died in payment for sin. He was raised from the dead. Why? On His Resurrection Day, we witnessed God’s great Love for each of us.  Through His Death, Jesus gave us Hope and Love.

Can you, can I, love as deeply as Jesus?  When someone hurts, are we pained? So many are hurting, do we love others to the point of weeping like Jesus did for Mary and Martha in their pain?

When Jesus comes again, will He find us angry and hating with no forgiveness in our hearts for others? Or will He see our hearts of love toward others God has all his created children.

 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. I John 2:5-6.

Psalm 56:8 – You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.