Love in Action

Bible Reading

John 14
Ephesians 4

Devotional Thoughts

What shows someone that we love them? In marriage, it’s the selfless service to one another. Marriage that does not have mutual selfless service to each other does not last. Love must be displayed by actions.
John 14:31 “I do as the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” This is not a legalistic statement of checking off a box in a list of dos and don’ts. Jesus had a love relationship with His Father that resulted in actions of obedience and commitment. Jesus’ motivation was not just checking a box, it was so that the world would know that He loves His Father!

Jesus says the same of us. John 14:23-24 “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Do you want Jesus to be at home in your heart? Then keep His Words. Do what He tells you to do.

This was one of the things Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers. “That Christ my DWELL in your hearts, by faith”. (Eph 3:17) Paul goes on to pray that we will come to be rooted and grounded in His love, and come to know the breadth, height, length and depth of His love.

I love how Paul describes the purpose of the gifts given to the saints in Eph 4:12-13. They are given “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” What does the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ look like?

John 14:10 is a great picture of that. “The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”

Paul also adds in Eph 4:15. “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” And again in Eph 4:24 …”put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

John 14:31 “I do as the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” May this be our prayer, and the motivation to live in a way that glorifies God.

Declarations

• My actions, words and attitudes reflect what is in my heart. I want to do what pleases my Father. Not because I have to, or to check off a box, but so that those who witness my life will know that I truly am a follower of Jesus.
• My obedience is a measurement of my love. My commitment and obedience shows the degree to which I love God. Like the widows mite in Mark 12:44 I want to give Jesus all I have.