As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:9-11(ESV)
Lord Jesus, how can it be? How is it possible you love us just as much as the Father loves you? We believe, help our unbelief. By your Spirit, make this more real to us than the coronavirus, tax season, and March Madness.
Abiding in your love is a command we’ll gladly seek to keep, Jesus. Because you perfectly fulfilled the law for us, obedience is no longer a burden to us (1 John 5:3). We’ve been set free from performance-based living, for a life of whole-heart loving. Hallelujah!
Take us farther up and farther into the ways and means of grace. Not by quickly dipping one toe in sheepishly, but by getting saturated, lingering, and marinating in your endless, unwavering affection for us—that’s our goal and joy.
May your Word increasingly become more precious to us than fine gold, and sweeter than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb (Ps. 19:10). For it warns us of the insanity of sin, and woos us unto a life of true freedom and joy (Ps. 19:7-13). May the pleasure we find in obeying you be only second to the pleasure we have in being loved by you.
Jesus, knowing you are praying for the fullness of our joy makes all the difference in the world, as we lean into the demands, surprises, and pains of this day. Thank you. So very Amen we pray, in your magnificent and merciful name.
