Mature in Love 3️⃣: Cultivating Obedience

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John 14:21,23,24a NIV

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.

Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

My Father will love them, and we will come to them

and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.

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Much as this has very little to do with Song of Songs, it is and has always been the true test of love ~ If you love me, you will keep my commands. Remember when the Shulamite was not prompt enough in opening the door for her lover to get inside? We concluded that her heart was somewhat lukewarm, so her love had grown a little cold. That tells you that the response of one who's fiercely in love would be the exact opposite, and that is prompt obedience. Realize that such an obedience is not merely out of obligation. Rather, it's from a heart burning with love ~ one that's continually on fire for God.

God wants us to be so madly in love with Him that we'll be quick to obey Him and heed to His instructions. In any case, we are to fall in love with God's commands too! In essence, we are to love EVERYTHING about God!

Take David, for example. It's no doubt that he loved God very passionately, especially from the way he sought after Him so earnestly, so much so that it was said of him by God ~ I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do. (Acts 13:22). 

A quick look at his life and you'll realize that he did not only love God, but he also loved everything about Him! Even His commands, which were to many, a stumbling block, were dear and precious to him! (Psalms 19:7-10) And to think that this was still the old covenant under that law of Moses!! He literally says they're perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, firm and righteous altogether. In other words, he finds absolutely no fault in them!! (this feels like a huge thing to me 🙃)

I'm not sure I'd say the same if I were living at that time. It feels like the laws during the time of Moses were too firm and rigid, the regulations too petty, and the punishments too severe (no offense intended 🤧...I'm still growing 😔). But David had grown so close to the heart of God that God's desires became His own, and what God delighted in, David found delight in too. How much more is expected of us, since we're living in the New Testament dispensation where God literally dwells in our hearts?

It is indeed true that even with all that, David still fell short and committed seemingly "huge" sins in his lifetime. So, this is not to make you think that you will never stumble if you genuinely love God. Love for God and for His Word produces deep and genuine repentance before God if we ever stumble. This is what God desires for us. 

Realize that we don't obey to prove our love for God. If we use this approach we'll fail terribly. Rather, we obey God because we love Him. It is that love that produces obedience. We cannot obey God if we do not love Him. Remember, God wants a loving and a loyal bride for His Son ~ not one who's been threatened into submission. I think it's time we do some kind of self-reflection... Why do you obey God (assuming you do...at least to a certain degree 🙂)? Is it because you have to, or because you want to?

Now no one really knows who authored Psalm 119, though most christians assume it was David. If you skim through it you'll realize that in one every one of the pieces under each Hebrew alphabet, there's an element of love and obedience in a single line or verse. The author literally finds delight in obeying God's commandments. You'll see lines like: I rejoice in following your statutes; Your statutes are my delight; Your laws are good; I delight in your commands because I love them; I reach out for your commands, which I love; Your decrees are the theme of my song; I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold; My flesh trembles in fear of You, I stand in awe of your laws; Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 

It goes on and on and on (you really need to read that psalm 🤭). There's one verse in particular that I picked to show that obedience is truly a product of love. 😊

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Psalm 119:167 NIV

I obey your statutes,

for I love them greatly. 

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That tells you that this author would never have obeyed them if he didn't love them. If we're yet to get to the point where we literally love God's laws, then we need to keep praying that God would mature us in His love. All this till that point where His desires become our own, His delights our delights...that our hearts would beat for what His beats for. When we begin to be grieved by what grieves Him, and delighted by what delights Him, then truly His heart and ours will have become one. It may sound a little ridiculous, but that is such a high level of oneness with Him that most believers are yet to grasp. The author of Psalm 119 had tapped into this dimension though ~ Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed (verse 136). Impossible though this might sound, with love, it is possible! 😊

The conclusion of the matter then is this:

This is love for God:

to obey His commands.

And His commands are not burdensome.

(1 John 5:3 NIV)

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We may not be there yet, but that's okay as long as we're progressing every day. We may still find it hard to obey even the simplest of commands; but, there is room for growth. Love gives us that room. My prayer is that we all will allow God to mature us in love, to the point that we are willing to wholeheartedly obey ALL His commands, regardless of what it may cost us. We may have to give up certain things: comforts, worldly pleasures, the need for man's approval or validation - even our own lives unto death. Scripture actually demands that we give up EVERYTHING (Luke 14:33 🤧), for us to be deemed worthy followers of Christ. 

Jesus' disciples literally lost everything and ended up facing terrible persecution and eventually death, but they gladly gave their lives up for He who laid His life down for their sake. If it came to that, are we certain that we will not deny Him? Are we confident that we will still serve and obey Him wholeheartedly even if it means losing EVERYTHING?... Are you? 

Scripture says (Revelation 2:10b)

Be faithful, even to the point of death,

and I will give you life as your victor's crown.

Whether or not we will remain faithful even 'then' is best determined by how faithful we are 'now' ~ in the little things. Remember,

♣️True love does not compromise.

♣️True love will always obey. 

So, which of the two brides are you? The one who's been threatened into submission, or the loyal one who truly loves?