love = obedience

This Easter, I felt impacted by the life of John the disciple.  It has led me to read his book of 1 John with a new level of awe, as I understand him to see himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.  Working in the field of addiction, people identify themselves by their past: “Hi, I’m Lindeka and I am an alcoholic” or “Hi, my name is Carl and Im an addict”.  John the disciple revolutionizes the identity crisis phenomenon with “Hi, I am John, and I am loved.”  I long to identify myself by the love of Christ, rather than my issues.

1 John 5: 2-5 says:

² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Now, I am involved in the raising of a teenager.  When Penny listens to my “commands” or my requests, and does what I say, man do I feel loved!  I realize she has chosen to surrender her own desires to mine, and I feel validated, respected, and honored.  On the flip side, when Penny forgets to do what I have asked, or doesn't do it at all, or does something wrong behind my back, I feel seriously unloved.  She has disrespected and dishonored my authority in her life, and the result is a degree of brokenness to the relationship.

John makes it incredibly clear in his first letter that loving God = doing what He says.  The only (not an option) way I show love to my Father is by living in the light of His requests and desires.  His love for me is not contingent on this, but the proof of my love for Him is.  It is the same in any relationship, love for my husband is made evident when I honor him with my choices to be faithful, to be a team player, to remember his likes and dislikes, and to live as if I am married to him even when we are apart.

In verse 3, John says “...and His commands are not burdensome”.  It shouldn’t be a burden to live out my love for God in actions of obedience.  I heard someone once say “If you feel burdened by life, it means you have picked up things God did not hand you to carry.”  We as people are so good at laying something down in prayer or in a search for sanity, only to pick it up again, sometimes without consciously realizing it.  The Father commands us not to worry, but we do it anyways.  He commands us to love our enemies, but we harbor unforgiveness instead.  He commands us to tame our tongue, but for many of us it is the most deadly of our weapons. 

All of these commands are not just for God’s sake, but for our own! Our freedom is bound up in obeying Him, often times in blind faith without a shred of feeling to support it.  I believe I am more burdened by worry, unforgiveness, anger, and a loose tongue than I am by their counterparts…and yet I keep picking up those burdens and then shaking my fist at God when it feels overwhelming.  We are missing the point, quickly compromising our values in this backward world we inhabit. 

In Matthew 11: 28-30, Jesus tells us “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.  Farmers will tell you that a yoke is usually tied to the necks of 2 oxen to plow land, in hopes of making the load more balanced and to better guide the animals while they work.  Through this, I realized that becoming a Christian means one is yoked to Christ.  He is the other oxen in the yoke, balancing the shared load on His broad shoulders, empowering me to carry on in His commands, and guiding me so I don't get lost.  In short, we need Him! We cannot carry out our love-acts for Him unless we are under His yoke.  His commands will become heavy burdens of legalism and judgment unless I am in partnership with Him each step.  He knows His commands don't come naturally to my very self-centered self.  He’s designed it so that I need Him.

And finally, in verse 5 John says “Who overcomes the world?  Only He who believes Jesus is the Son of God”.  Well, that narrows down the options!  Not only do I need Him to carry out the commands of my freedom and His glory, but I already have the victory in all things because I believe Jesus is the Son of God.  If I didn’t, there would be no hope for me to truly overcome the trials of this world.  Christ tells us “take heart my loved ones, I have overcome the world.”  I cant overcome it too unless I am yoked to Him, for then I am with Him in His state of constant victory.

Friend, I pray today you would walk in the love of God through His victory in Christ! His word is alive and active, with us always, food for our souls.  Eat what is free and be satisfied.