Joy Complete by Nancy Ward
Jesus tells us
in John 15: 9-11 “As the Father loves me,
so I also love you.” Wow! Who could ask to be loved more than that? The
Father loves Jesus more than we can ever imagine or put into words. Jesus tells
us that he loves us that much. That love is unfathomable. It’s a gift that we
can never earn.
Then he tells
us his desire for us. “Remain in my
love.” Is there anything we wouldn’t do to keep that love flowing into our
heart?
Our response
can only be, “Yes, Lord, we want to live in your love always. Tell us how.”
“If
you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my
Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
This is the Lord’s clear direction on how to keep our love
relationship with him alive and vibrant. Do what he wants. Trust him. Do what we
know will bring us everlasting happiness. Believe his word. Live in him.
Not only do we have the commandments, the guidebook, but also we have the Guidance Counselor, the Holy Spirit. We have the example of how Jesus always obeyed his Father’s will. That’s how he kept close to his Father and that’s how we keep close to him.
Then comes the clincher, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be
complete.” He wants us to remain close in his loving
will so that we will feel his lasting joy in our hearts. That supernatural joy is far beyond our human
capacity to fully receive or even comprehend. He assures us that our joy will be
complete in him — or as complete as we can experience it here on earth. That
joy is like nothing else on earth, for it originates from heaven and leads us
back home. That joy is Jesus alive in our hearts.
There's more at JoyAlive.net
AMEN
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