At Home With Jesus
Do you feel “at home” within the love of God?
Verse of the Day
“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.”
Today’s Devotional
Think of the most comfortable place you can imagine. Is it on a beach somewhere? Is it cuddled up in bed with your spouse? Is it outside by a roaring fire surrounded by a sky full of stars? Is it at a dinner table surrounded by your favorite people with amazing food?
Once you’ve pictured in your mind your most comfortable place, how does it make you feel to think of being there? For me, there is an overwhelming sense of peace. That warm-blanket-on-a-cold-day, big-hug-when-I-need-comfort, cold-water-on-a-hot-day kind of peace and comfort.
Now….do you realize that THAT kind of peace is always available to you? If you are living your life for Jesus, trying to live the life of love that He commands, then Jesus says that you “remain in His love”. Other translations say “abide in my love”, as in…make your home within the love of Jesus. And what do we know about the love of Jesus?
It’s perfect. It drives out fear. It is patient and kind. It has no envy, no need to boast, no pride, nothing to dishonor you. It is completely selfless, not easily angered, and keeps no record of anything you do wrong. It rejoices with the truth in your life, protects you, and it is always full of hope. It always perseveres and IT NEVER FAILS.
Read that last paragraph again. Does that kind of environment sound like a good place to hang out? It does to me.
The problem I have is that sometimes I forget that I have that kind of love available to me. Sometimes I can’t summon the feeling of that kind of love enveloping me. But I do know that feelings are fickle and they lie. Jesus never lies. So if He tells me that I remain in, make my home in His love, then it is true. Whether I feel it or not.
So what are we to do when we cannot FEEL the love of Jesus? Go back and look at today’s verse. “IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDS…”
On good days and bad days, I need to be obedient. I need to embrace the upside down priorities of the Kingdom of God, putting the needs of others before my own. I need to be actively loving others, with the same kinds of actions that I would want God to do for me.
And as I do those actions, as I keep the commands of Jesus, I am home. I am exactly where I am supposed to be. And when my brain lies to me and tells me otherwise, I actively choose to capture those thoughts and redirect them to the truth of God’s Word. Which is the most loving thing I can do for myself.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Is it hard for you to feel the love of Jesus? Why?
Is it hard for you to fathom how much Jesus loves you? Why or why not?
Is it difficult to summon the knowledge and feelings of the enveloping love of Jesus? When have you experienced an overwhelming awareness of Jesus’ love for you?
Are you keeping His commands? If you are, then ask Jesus to reveal His love for you today.
How can you be actively obedient today?