Reading John 15, I feel so loved every time I go through it. It speaks to the type of relationship we all are privileged to have if we continually seek and stay connected with the One and only true way -- Jesus Christ.
Struggling with a sudden attack of fear that plagued me for a good 10 minutes for absolutely no reason in the middle of the night, I prayed for freedom from these fears. God cast out all doubt and fear and gave me another few hours of sound sleep.
Then this morning my mind returned to my brief visit with a friend yesterday. I only spent a few minutes with this person and knew they were a truly tortured soul -- it
was discouraging to see this because I know that this person seeks God. I know we all go through peaks and valleys -- but this was on
another level. Why couldn't they accept the assurance that they had
prayed and God would take care of it? I couldn't understand it. They
couldn't stop talking about all the horrible destructive points of a
situation with one of their friends and how angry they were about how the person in the situation
was dealing with it. There was a belief that they would have to battle (in the spiritual realm)
continuously just to keep someone else from rejecting the salvation God
has given. There were lots of other factors but my point was that we
can't manage anyone else's relationship with God, only our own. And
whenever we try, boy, do we make a mess of things! Yes, intercede in
prayer for one another, but lift one another up! Words have such power! Thinking of how distraught my friend was over all these things and how there always seems to be some drama going on in someone else's life that has them all concerned... I was struck by the concept (and mother's will get defensive at this point) that we really shouldn't measure our love for one another by how much we worry over their lives. I wanted happiness, love and restoration for my fellow believers; so my mind was flooded with verses about "the joy of our salvation" and "Cast your cares on the Lord for he cares for you...." and on and on about joy and reassurance. My face quickly reflected the relief and excitement that I felt; a grin spread across my face, a little giggle bubbled up in my throat, and tears came to my eyes. When I could see clearly enough, I jotted each one down as fast as they had come and looked them up.
At first, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad...", I wrote off as just more of the 'joy' verses until I looked it up. But Jesus was speaking the Sermon on the Mount and these were his parting words: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12 ESV
This made me think of the terrible words that had been said between my friends in anger and frustration and I was comforted that God would work it out.
Do we fully comprehend just how much God loves us? Didn't his death and resurrection scream "I love you" across nations and generations? I challenge you to get into the Word and know who God is more fully. He is love and he has promised in John 15:7,9 -- "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love."
"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 ESV
He is my comfort and my strength! Over and over he urges me in his Word "don't worry", "do not fear", "do not be anxious for anything". My God is faithful and he will finish the work he has begun in each of us.
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