Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s linger in God’s love.

Jesus said in today’s scripture, John 15:9-10 (NIV)…
[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [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.

Consider…
Yesterday we looked into immersing ourselves in death from sin with Christ. As I meditated on that truth, the Holy Spirit reminded me of Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT), which testifies…
[4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

It was because of God’s love that we were given His grace. This made me think about today’s scripture, which is a plea from Jesus to immerse (remain) ourselves in God’s love.

Oxford Languages defines remain as…

• continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist
• stay in the place that one has been occupying
• continue to possess a particular quality or fulfill a particular role

The second definition pressed play on William McDowell singing…

(So I say) stay
I don’t want You to go
Cause my heart is burning
In Your presence, Lord

Please, stay
I don’t want You to go
‘Cause my heart is burning
In Your presence, Lord

We live in a microwave and fast food world that values instant gratification over soul filling satiation. Satiation is the state of being satisfactorily full and unable to take on more.

Satiation makes me think of Jesus’ next statement after today’s verses. He continued in John 15:11 (NLT)…
[11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

God is interested in a life filling and sustaining relationship with us. In fact Jesus also said in John 10:10b (NLT)…
[10] … My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

It is from this satiation perspective that Jesus says remain in His love.

There’s another image that comes to mind when I think of remaining in God’s love, it’s one of love falling like dew drops from heaven that rest upon my heart.

I hear Judith Christie McAllister singing…

Like the dew in the morning gently rest upon my heart
Like you do every morning gently rest upon my heart
Yeah, we say rest

Rest Jesus
Rest Jesus
Rest Jesus
Like the dew in the morning

Rest Jesus
Rest Jesus
Rest Jesus
Like the dew in the morning

Rain Jesus
Rain Jesus
Rain Jesus
Rain Jesus

Move Jesus
Move Jesus
Move Jesus
Move Jesus

Yes Jesus
Yes Jesus
Yes Jesus
Yes Jesus

Imagine starting each day with love of Jesus resting upon your heart. I believe it would radically change our interactions with others.

This thought makes me think of 1 John 4:10-12 (NLT), which explains…
[10] This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. [12] No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

We truly realize God’s love, when it’s fully realized in us, by others.

I am confident in saying that what Jesus desires most from His followers is their extension of His love to others. My confidence is sourced from John 13:34-35 (NLT), where Jesus said…
[34] So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. [35] Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

The Holy Spirit is telling me that there are many people eager to speak for God, but very few are willing to use His language of love.

He led me to 1 John 3:16-19 (NLT) to illustrate His point…
[16] We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? [18] Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. [19] Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

God’s love isn’t spoken, it’s expressed. Said another way, love shouldn’t just be heard, it must be experienced.

That’s what Jesus was wanting for us, when He said we must obey His commands, to remain in God’s presence, in order to experience the fullness of His love.

The Holy Spirit is also reminding me that in order to remain, we must already be in a place. That means we can’t remain in God’s love if we’ve never been there to begin with. Thus, we must begin our love experience with God by first obeying Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)…
[37] Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment.

This makes me hear Jonathan Butler and Kirk Whalum harmonizing…

Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I ever, ever done

Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I ever, ever done

In His arms I feel protected
In His arms never disconnected (no no)
In HIs arms I feel protected
There’s no place I’d rather rather be

Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I ever, ever done

Look, I could go on and on about remaining in God’s love, but suffice to say we can’t live without it.

So today, immerse yourself in God’s love and let the overflow be experienced by everyone you encounter. 💖

Today’s song is…
Without Your Love

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)