Doing What We’re Told

Today's Reading: Psalms 117,119:81-176; 2 John; 3 John

12.26.12

2 John 5, 6 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. NIV

The greatest calling of one person to another is to walk in love; and the greatest definition of love is obedience to what God commands. Love is indeed partially affection, but love is also correction. Love is sacrifice because loves pays a price. Love is a destination toward which two (or more) may walk side by side and grow closer as they near that destination.

It has occurred to me this morning as I have shoved my face into the glow of Holy Writ that true love is perfected by my obeying everything that God commands me to do. And not just love toward God who is honored and loved by my obedience, but also my fellow man who benefits tremendously by my love to God, demonstrated in my obedience to His commands.

To walk in love is to walk in sync with the Father and all He has in store for us. Psalm 119.96 says: “To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.” (NIV) With God what He commands and His perspective is eternal and infinite. The one who gives himself to this is perfected in love by staying in step and walking in sync with the Father: his fellow man benefits from all he does.

Some of us humans like Christmas because of what we get out of it – Christmas, as good as we think it may be, is nothing compared to what we get out of walking in love. And the greatest gift we can give to our fellow man is obedience to God. It shows our deep respect for their individual being when we stay right next to God and do everything He says.

Father in Heaven,

Like the psalmist in Psalm 119 may I walk in the paths of Your commands and be of benefit to my fellow man. May I quit trying to impress others with what I have and simply love them as You have commanded me to love them. In this regard it doesn’t matter what they do it only matters that I love You. And by loving You, I will fulfill the greatest purpose of my life. I love Your commands. May I walk in them and keep them and bring relief in whatever form it may be to others by my love for them in obeying You. Amen!