Words from the Rock
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
John 14:21 NIV
Love is a mysterious thing, and there are many different kinds of love. Certainly, you can love a great pair of shoes, but not in the same way you love your mom or dad. You can love your grandmother’s lasagna, but hopefully not as much as you love your grandmother. You can love playing soccer, but not as much as you love your best friend. Loving a pet might be intense, but it’s not anything like how you’ll feel when you fall in love.
Love is one of those complicated words with a whole lot of different meanings. But there is something that all the various forms of love have in common—motivation to act differently. Loving a great pair of shoes might motivate you to save up your money to purchase them. Loving your grandmother’s lasagna might motivate you to pop on over to her house for Sunday dinner. Loving your best friend might motivate you to go out of your way to make him or her happy. Because you love someone or something, you’re not concerned about the effort it takes or what it might cost—it’s like you don’t even think about it. That’s because your love is driving you—your love is what motivates you into action.
That’s how Jesus wants you to feel about him. He wants you to love him so much that you’re motivated to do what he asks you to. He’s the reason you obey his commands—why you can love others. This is because he loves you! He will ask you to do only the things that are good for you. Even if something feels hard, it will get easier if love motivates you—and in the end, it will be for your best.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me! Please help my love for you to grow, and let that love motivate me to do what you ask me to.
Amen.
Final Word
This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.
Philippians 1:9–10 NASB
Stone for the Journey
Because I love Jesus, I will obey him.