[Jhn 14:12-15 NIV] 12 "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15 "If you love me, keep my commands. [Jhn 15:1-14 NIV] 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command."
Dearest, Lord,
Oh what You teach me! How much do I really love You? Here You say "If you love me, keep my commands." Then you tell me to remain (abide in KJV) in You and You will remain in me.
People and friends come into and out of our lives, some like revolving doors and few remain. Even my children, although we love from a distance since they are out of the house and have spouses and children of their own have not remained always with me. However; my husband remains here with me since our marriage, and I am blessed by that.
You have given us free will just like You have. That's why the "if"s are here. I cannot remain in Your love unless I keep Your commands. I know, Lord, that I cannot lose my salvation and am secure. However, Your power and strength to do what You command lessens if I do not remain. My daughter-in-law once told me she saw remaining (abiding) in these verses seemed to her to be like blood running through our veins and arteries.
You tell me that means I am to love one another as You have loved me. I cannot be choosey as to whom I love or how much I choose to love them. This is hard, Lord, because some of the people You ask me to love are like porcupines. If you try to get close, you get hurt, and then have to give grace, just as You gave to me when I was one. Oh Lord, I am sorry I didn't see Your love for so long. Thank You for Your grace!
Being a farmer's daughter and gardener myself, I understand the "remain" analogy You give here. You are my life's blood. If I do not remain daily in Your word and in communication with You, I start to wilt just like a branch or leaf would if the connection was broken. How can I ask anything of You if I have broken that bond by not obeying Your commands? I think because I know I am secure in my salvation and You forgive my sins and give grace and mercy, I will at times presume on those things and disobey. Oh, Lord, forgive me! Help me to Love You more so I can love others better and more consistently for Your glory.
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