John 15:10 (NIV)
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Jesus continually loved the Father and obeyed the commandments
God had given. Even when Jesus faced the suffering to come Jesus continued to
love the Father. Even when Jesus was made sin for us and even when the Father
could not look upon that sin, God still loved His Son.
In a recent TV commercial a young man is struggling with
whether to go through with an arranged marriage. In his home country arranged
marriages were the norm. But after living in America, he was having second
thoughts about adhering to this ancient custom, especially since he'd never met
his wife-to-be.
Still, when she flew into the airport, he dutifully
waited for her, flowers in hand, and a gloomy expression on his face. But when
she stepped through the terminal, everything changed. She was beautiful! Suddenly
his glum demeanor disappeared. The thought of marrying this woman was no longer
a dreaded duty; it was a delight. What had changed? He'd seen her.
Often we serve God out of obligation. We drag ourselves
to church, force ourselves to serve others—but our hearts aren't in it. We're
like that guy at the airport, grudgingly holding flowers for God. We're trying
to live holy lives because we know we should, but it's burdensome, joyless.
What can change this? Seeing God. When we get a vision of
who God truly is, suddenly we're energized to do his mission. Once we gaze upon
his grandeur and glory, obedience ceases to be arduous. Once we grasp his great
love, serving is no longer a duty—it's a joy! [Drew Dyck, Yawning at Tigers
(Thomas Nelson, 2014), page 54]
Let us all learn to serve God out of love for Him and not
feel as though we have a burden of obligation being held over our heads.
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