Monday, October 27, 2008

Abide: The commandments

So as I'm reading this, I'm looking for parts of the definition of "abide" according to Jesus. From John 15, I know:
1. To abide, keep my commandments.
Easy enough, right? So what are the commandments? Further in John 15, jesus says this, Message-style:
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I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.

I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

But remember the root command: Love one another.
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So, it's just as simple and as difficult as that to keep His commandments: Love one another.
This one's going to take some work. People aren't easy to love most of the time. It is easy to love some people, of course. But then, there are the rest of us. OK, like me, if you're one of the easily lovable. Obviously, the key to loving the unlovable is to see them the way Jesus sees them. He's managed to love me that way so I know it works. I just have to figure out how to adjust my vision and make it stick that way.

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