His Love for Me

Likewise, we are not to seek to abide in the world, the flesh or sin; for the genuine disciple cannot live and flourish in these things. Our life is hid with Christ in God, so we are called to continue to daily make our home in this intimate, living and vital union with Jesus Christ!

If you will notice verse 9, the Lord Jesus makes this picture of “abiding in Him” even more intimate, personal and precious. He says, “As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in my love ” Please notice that when Jesus calls on you to “abide in His love”, He is not speaking about your love for Jesus. He is speaking about Jesus’ supernatural and sacrificial love for you, which was revealed in the Cross! Of course, we know that every disciple of Jesus glories in the objective fact that God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The Bible also tells us that at the moment of our conversion, the subjective reality of the love of God for us, which was manifested at the Cross, is abundantly poured into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit. Well, I am attempting to say to you is that this astounding love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts, so that this “river of love” might be continually experienced and expressed in ours heart and lives, as disciples of Jesus Christ! When Jesus calls on us to, “abide in His love”, He is saying that it is His overwhelming love for us, that we are to continue to remain in; to rest in; to rejoice in; and to rely on!

Oh, but there is more that I hope that you will see and treasure in this verse! Notice that Jesus says, “As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you”. Our Lord and Savior is saying, that He loves us in the same manner and to the same degree that the Father loves Him! This is absolutely incredible! Oh, that each one of us would dive into the reality of this verse and meditate on this wondrous reality. The precious promise that He encourages us with, is that Jesus loves every member of His Bride in the same fashion, and with the same fervency as the Father loves Him! This magnificent affirmation, straight from the lips of Jesus, should absolutely blow our minds. You must remember that this glorious assertion is not written to perfectly obedient angelic beings, who have never rebelled against any command of the Lord Jesus Christ. This amazing declaration is written to former rebels, who were once living in wicked sinfulness and willful selfishness; but who have now been graciously transformed into disciples of Jesus!

Think with me for a moment about the immutability of His love for us. The Father’s intimate and infinite love for the Lord Jesus never changes or fluctuates! It never wavers or waffles; for it is immutable! We recall when the Lord Jesus was hanging on the cross, during those 3 hours of supernatural darkness; that He willingly paid the price and suffered the just wrath and righteous indignation of the Father against sin. Even at that time, the Father’s infinite love for His Son, never wavered. And the King of Love says to your heart today, “As the Father loved me, I also have loved you”. The Savior’s love for you never vacillates. It’s not like the stock market, for it does not ebb and flow! He cannot love you more; and He will not love you less! You may be walking through a fiery trial today, as you read this letter. Do not forget that the Savior is sovereign over your storm. He has allowed it; He has a limit on it; and He has a purpose in it! He is working this storm together for the good; and that good is to conform you, into His image. He is using these trials, troubles and tribulations to grow you in Christlikeness, so that you would be more fruitful for His glory. Additionally, so that your soul might be enlarged and enabled to contain more glory and delight in Him, throughout all of the eternities in Heaven! These light afflictions, as the apostle Paul calls them, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! He does not love you less, in the storm. He is expressing His love to you, by using the storm to make you more like Him!

But there is still more! Think with me for a moment about the immeasurability of His love for us. The Holy Spirit pens these words, through the apostle Paul, in Ephesians 3:17-­‐19, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all of the saints, what is the width and length and depth and height -­‐ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”