How He Loves
“He who has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” John 14:21
Will Love – We could spend some time looking at this verse from the perspective of obedience. We could examine what it means to keep Yeshua’s commandments. We could look at the connection between keeping them and experiencing the Father’s love. But before we do any of that, there is something even more precious here. It is the love of Yeshua for us.
“ and I will love him.” In Greek, kago agapeso auton. The sentence is emphatic. I will love him. There can be no doubt about this. No matter what my daily experience or situation, Yeshua declares His love for me as a matter of absolute fact. It is His personal guarantee.
What kind of love is this? The verb form here means this is a fact of future action. You will recognize the root agape. It is love that seeks the benefit of another at cost to the one who loves. It is self-sacrifice on behalf of someone else. It’s not about feelings, calculations or duty. It’s about personal total commitment.
Why would Yeshua guarantee such action? After all, this kind of commitment weathers every storm. It doesn’t matter if I am up or down, this love doesn’t fail. So, why would He make this promise to me? I’m not always the kind of person who merits love. I often fail. I betray others. I lie. Sometimes I take advantage. But Yeshua assures me that none of that will interfere with His commitment to me, as long as I am pursuing as best I can the keeping of His commandments.
Heschel says, “In the eyes of the world, I repeat, I am an average man. But in my heart I am not an average man. To my heart I am of great moment. The challenge I face is how to actualize, how to concretize the quiet eminence of my being.” [1] That is the secret to Yeshua’s love. He does not see us as just average men and women. He sees the great, quiet eminence of our being. He sees us as we are designed to be. Nobility disguised in ordinary flesh and blood. And because He sees us as we could be seen, He loves us in order that we might be manifest as He sees us. We are precious in His sight.
This is the greatest fact of the universe. Not only did God create all there is in order that we might walk with Him, He brought all this into being because we matter most to Him. His Son proclaims that most important fact of all existence. “I will love you.” That is the final and absolute endorsement of who I am. I am loved by God manifest in the flesh. Nothing can undermine my worth. He has spoken.
Topical Index: love, agape, self-worth, John 14:21
[1] Abraham Heschel, Who Is Man?, p. 35.
Beautiful!
Simply beautiful… as I read this, I am in awe for the Father.. simply silently breathing in Him, in His presence.. at peace.. i wonder, how can it be? And I hum the melody of the hymn.. and I am quietly meditating on today’s blog.. and I smile 🙂 It is a smile from a tired person, someone that wanted to go her own way also, even though choose to walk with Him, whom has fallen, and choose to get up again, again and again.. The Father must get tired with me? I pray my perseverance would show Him to love me, to bless me.. but this blog today tells me to just be in Him; walking in His way, doing His commandments still in a peaceful quiet way.. while His love in abundance will overflow our cup, where He guides us by His rod and His staff.. where He speaks about judgement and gives with mercy.. all the days of our lives.
Oh how lovely are your tents O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel: to be in Your presence, Hashem, the God of our forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.. to be in Your presence is to enter in Your glory, Your fullness, Your Shalom.
I prostrate myself and bow down, bend the knee before the LORD my Maker, before the LORD who created me, the LORD, the Master of Legions, before the LORD who loves me with an everlasting kindness, from generation to generation, with peace, wisdom and understanding.
To Him I lift up my voice and sing praises for His Name sake, because of His great love.
For all the law is fullfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gal.5:14). “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Masshiach.” (Gal.6:2)
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Yeshua said to Him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Love as He loves us…
Walk in His Spirit, grow in Him, to be more and more like Him.. as He desires us, from the moment He created us.. and He loves us. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen.1:27)… and He saw it was very good. (Gen.1:31)
Love as He loves us… its beautiful..
Simply beautiful, to see how His love and ours meet one another and fulfill His law, in Masshiach.
I pray, that we all may walk like that, realizing in full how much the Father loves us and how much we can bless one another while loving one another like He loves us. And when we walk together, as brothers and look to one another eye to eye, as brothers.. (never mind if we think the same way – we respect eachother, loving one another).. then the Holy Spirit dwells among us and between us there is His Shalom (for both of us.. for all of us). Amen
yes, the Word Incarnate and the written word are one in the same.
the Teacher and the Torah are one.
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!
John 5.39
“Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24.27)
Hear O Israel, the LORD, our G-d is One.
When they saw him, they worshiped Him; (but some doubted) (Matthew 28.17)
Revelation 5:6- “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.” (a Lamb)
Revelation 5:12 ..saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” (worthy is the Lamb that was slain)
Revelation 19:13 -And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of G-d.
And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us… (John 1.14)
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. (Revelation 19.12)
“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” -what was that name again”? It is Hashem- the name above all names.
“Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of G-d the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
Absolutely yes. He loves us (all) and He loves us (each).
If you have more than one child you know this to be true, as you have stated before brother Skip- the love of G-d is not zero-sum. If we ever caught just a glimpse of how much G-d loves us, it would set our souls on fire with holy passion. (Can Dr. Law do that?) All he can do is diagnose our illness. We need Dr. Grace to provide the cure for our sin-sickness. I do not (ever) discount Dr. Law. He says- “this is the Way, walk ye in it.” This is his prescription for me. Walk in His ways and do what he says. Now as to the actual “working out” of this, I need Dr. Grace, right now, in this very moment. Yeshua said- “without me (or apart from me), you (us) can do nothing. (zero, zilch, nada..-ain’t gonna happen).
Yeshua has said, – very equivalent to “thus saith the LORD.” Well, how bout that!- I just “prophesied”. You can do this too! Go ahead and try this at home. Open your Bible, place your finger on any verse and proclaim (loudly or softly!)- “thus saith the LORD”- “in the beginning”, etc. We have in our grubby fingers the very words of G-d. Uh-huh.. “It is written.”
Not one word of this book has ever failed “to come to pass.” (Yes, or no..) It is so. Amen. Thy will be done. Amen. Today. In my life- in your life. Amen. So be it. Let it be, dear LORD. Amen. Accomplish in us, that which pleases you. Amen.
“If we ever caught just a glimpse of how much G-d loves us, it would set our souls on fire with holy passion. (Can Dr. Law do that?)”
Hi Carl,
What about the 4th Commandment, isn’t that process supposed to set your soul on fire?
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
yes, Michael, absolutely. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Also as Yeshua stated at the “last supper” with the Talmudim- “remember me.” And then on top of all this- (or in addition to!- lol!) is John 14.26: “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
How blessed we are to be called the children of G-d, and to have “Holy Breath” of YHWH living within G-d’s temple (us), “re-minding” us and teaching us from the G-d’s Torah. Each of us has been given a “personal trainer”, leading us, guiding us, comforting and strengthening us in every situation and circumstance we may find ourselves in. “He leadeth me, O blessed thought- O words with heavenly comfort fraught, where e’re I go- where e’re I be- still ’tis Thy hand that leadeth me!
Does it get any better? (yes..-it does!). Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before! Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more! Jesus saves and keeps me and He’s the one I’m living for. Every day “with Jesus” is sweeter than the day before. Was it Dr. Law that put a song in my mouth or Dr. Grace? My friends- it is not “either/or”- it’s both. It is the Great Physician Himself- (full of grace and truth)- the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ. Hallelujah- what a Savior!
Hi Carl,
Can’t argue with that; but can come right back at you with a question.
Isn’t Our/My Dad and Dr Law one and the same?
🙂
Great question Michael …. indeed!
Personally … the love of Yeshua was grasped by the Spirit within me before there was obedience. Clearly we are loved even while in the state of defilement!
I experienced frustration, confusion, helplessness and then FINALLY I cried out for help. I knew that I personally was a complete and utter rebel towards ELOHIM. I knew that my guilt was not enough (I had always perceived this) and that real personal change had to take place (later to be understood as t’shuvah).
At some point in time ELOHIM answered my cries … HE relieved me of my pain and torment and most importantly my fear! At that time in my life I experienced the love of Mashiach … the love of ELOHIM! Nothing has been the same ever since! 🙂
Regarding obedience …. it started out small … like stopping the overt sinful and destructive habits I had immersed myself in most of my life. But then something else began to happen …. as I cleaved closer and closer to HIS WORD I came to see no difference between myself and a Jew/Israelite. I only wanted to cling to the life that is set before me. This was not learned from some doctrine or from research …. this was Spiritual discernment.
Over time I became passionate in understanding what this Israelite life was really about. I chased hard to find out why this life was not the heritage of the Christian people. I got my answers and did not like the implications. The net result for me (as Skip would declare) was a complete paradigm shift. A 180 degree turn resulting in a former Catholic attending a Messianic synagogue and submitting my life’s behavioral patterns to Yeshua and manifesting (as best as possible) as Torah alignment!
Now …. specific to “setting my soul on fire” …. I personally can’t see a distinction between love and ELOHIM’s character and the behaviors that exemplify HIS character. ELOHIM IS LOVE!
Personally the truth of Yeshua’s love for me and the passion within me to conform to HIS image through obedience are inseparable. Its hard to explain but the desire and process of obeying the mitzvot are connected to the joy of realizing HIS love. There is passion to obey; there is passion to conform, there is passion to worship because there is joy in the process. Always desiring to be closer to HIS image is not personally viewed as drudgery or “alas a necessary self punishment”! Personally the process does set my soul on fire despite the negative ramifications that have resulted in my “worldly life” … LOL!
Ultimately I believe it is us people that segment attributes of ELOHIM because we have so much difficulty in comprehending the incomprehensible! For me I try to think less and live/walk by faith. (Oddly enough this does not seem to limit what I have to say …. go figure). Anyhow … this perspective leads me to conclude that there is no separating the law from love and consequently our pursuit of obedience is in itself an act of love … a passionate process!
The shalom which Yeshua promises is not some mental deduction … it is not some abstraction …. it is real joy that comes from feeling HIS love and it is integral with walking the path. Personally I could not have shalom if I abandoned Torah! Not only do I want the mitzvot … I need the mitzvot … else I am incomplete!
To the point in question … where would I be without Shabbat? I can no longer even contemplate such a question in as much that haShabbat and all Mo’adim have become integral to my life.
Sorry for rambling on but so often the entire meaning of “the law” seems to be out of the grasp of so many people. Perhaps a personal non-theological testimony of the law might help!
Drew, your testimony has released the pressure valve of the heart and caused the tears to flow. May I publish the testimony you just shared? It is so “awesome”. What a mighty G-d we serve! G-d is so good! He has promised to every man- (“whosoever will”)- “if you seek for me with all your heart- you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29.13)
Thanks Drew for your words which clarify for me the way in which Love and Obedience are intertwined. I’ve puzzled over their relationship. Now I see, through your recounting of what happened to you, how experiencing Yeshua’s love results in obedience, and obedience leads to deeper experience of love which in turn leads to more obedience, and so on. You have had a wonderful experience of Elohim which shows me what is possible.
This is absolutely beautiful and God exalting!
beth
My brother Carl … of course you can publish this brief testimony that I have provided … it is true and I have no shame in detailing how HE has saved me from myself! Who and what I am today is living proof that G_D is real and truthful!
In the end, as you declare, it is all about how awesome our G_D really is. The testimony that we provide is never really about us, but rather about what HE does for and to us! We may never be able to do HIM justice but we sure can speak truthfully about HIM.
After all are we not part of the community … which in Hebrew = the witnesses?
Praise Yeshua
Love without law=lust
Law without love=tyranny
The two are inseparable in the Kingdom.
Lust, but no love.
Passion, but no compassion.
Without love, without a cause, we are nothing!
Jesus Raza, The Professionals (1966)
Hi Michael,
Without Christ, we can do nothing. We would not know love except for Him. Love is God. God is love.
“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” John 5:19
“Verily, verily, I say unto you”
Hi Mary,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you” is one of my favorite phrases in the Bible but, unfortunately, my hardcopy (The Jerusalem Bible – 1966) does not use the lovely Latin root of truth in John 5:19:
John 5:19
To this accusation Jesus replied,
I tell you most solemnly
the Son can do nothing by himself;
he can only do what he sees the Father doing:
and whatever the Father does the Son does too.
John 5:20
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything he does himself,
and he will show him even greater things than these,
works that will astonish you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, in the passages above, Jesus needs God (the Father) to SHOW him (the Son) how to LOVE.
So that the Son can serve as a model and SHOW the rest of us how to love.
By the way, The Gospel of John is a film in DVD.
I watched it the other day and was very impressed with the quality.