If you love Me...

...you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

How in the world do love and commandments fit together? I thought love was selfless, free flowing emotions, filled with warm fuzzies. But God is saying that love is obedience.

Actually, it's really rather obvious. Think about it. As a parent, we equate obedience with love all the time. As a spouse, I readily show my love to Dave by not making "Squeaky Chicken" for dinner (long story). Obedience demonstrates love.

Therefore, a lack of obedience either shows ignorance or rebellion, right?

Unfortunately, we tend to put our sin nature on a pedestal and say that obedience is just too hard sometimes because of our flesh, and we think that excuse works. But it really doesn't. It's simply a cover for the fact that we are willfully rebellious to God's commandments because we just don't love Him enough to obey.

Ouch.

Well, sometimes the truth hurts.

When I came across this verse today, I had to pause and ask myself, "What commandments of God do I keep?" So many times we hear that in Christ we are free from the law and I think that has fostered a complacency towards His commandments. But freedom from the law is simply freedom from having to keep the law for salvation. Christ's righteousness has been applied to our account, therefore we are free from the bonds of sin. But God's law still reveals His character and I guess my question this morning is this: If I truly love Him, am I willing to obey His commandments? Which commandments do I obey and which do I ignore? If God demonstrated His love for us by giving His Son, how do I demonstrate my love for Him?

Do me a favor today and take a look at John 14. The whole chapter. Just in case you are not sure that God expects anything from us, this is a good place to start.