"At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 14:20-21
Two really interesting ideas here. One is that we are all part of God, and God is part of us... or maybe I am getting it wrong and it isn't "part of" but just we are in each other in some way that doesn't necessarily mean part of, but ... connected? Either way, it is interesting, and I think cool. Having God connected to us in any way seems pretty amazing.
I think it is with that background that this next verse really makes sense too. It is also an interesting idea that love equals obedience, at least on a human-to-God level. The way it seems to make sense to me, based on the preceding verse, is that the commandments are there to keep that interconnectedness between us and God going. When we are obedient, we are strengthening and restoring that connection, and when we are disobedient, then we are breaking it... which on so many levels is exactly what love is as well. Maintaining a connection with someone. Between people it isn't obedience to each other so much as maintaining rules that respect and build the relationship... build it up rather than tear it down. Sometimes we don't know all the rules because some of them are individual to a person... hot buttons and things that they cherish, etc. We learn ways to manipulate and hurt them and loving them is choosing not to, and loving them despite flaws and imperfections... but still helping and encouraging them to be the best people they can be.
With God we don't know all the rules when we start out either, but God helps us out by giving us commandments. Those will help us not only with our relationship with him, but with our relationships with other people, and with the world itself. They will even help us deal with ourselves better. :) Indeed, keeping God's commandments shows our love for him, and also our love for others, our love for ourselves, and our love for the idea of making things better.
Today, let's love God by keeping his commandments. Let's strengthen that relationship, and through it, all the other relationships that we have.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 14:20-21
Two really interesting ideas here. One is that we are all part of God, and God is part of us... or maybe I am getting it wrong and it isn't "part of" but just we are in each other in some way that doesn't necessarily mean part of, but ... connected? Either way, it is interesting, and I think cool. Having God connected to us in any way seems pretty amazing.
I think it is with that background that this next verse really makes sense too. It is also an interesting idea that love equals obedience, at least on a human-to-God level. The way it seems to make sense to me, based on the preceding verse, is that the commandments are there to keep that interconnectedness between us and God going. When we are obedient, we are strengthening and restoring that connection, and when we are disobedient, then we are breaking it... which on so many levels is exactly what love is as well. Maintaining a connection with someone. Between people it isn't obedience to each other so much as maintaining rules that respect and build the relationship... build it up rather than tear it down. Sometimes we don't know all the rules because some of them are individual to a person... hot buttons and things that they cherish, etc. We learn ways to manipulate and hurt them and loving them is choosing not to, and loving them despite flaws and imperfections... but still helping and encouraging them to be the best people they can be.
With God we don't know all the rules when we start out either, but God helps us out by giving us commandments. Those will help us not only with our relationship with him, but with our relationships with other people, and with the world itself. They will even help us deal with ourselves better. :) Indeed, keeping God's commandments shows our love for him, and also our love for others, our love for ourselves, and our love for the idea of making things better.
Today, let's love God by keeping his commandments. Let's strengthen that relationship, and through it, all the other relationships that we have.
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