love and law

October 31: Psalm 49; John 14


"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him...
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. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words."
(John 14:21, 23-24)

Grace and commandment. Faith and obedience. How do they relate? How are they connected? I so easily get focused on what I'm supposed to do, and then am pleased with my progress (in the Lord, of course), and then it's over. Welcome Mr. Pharisee...

There is an intimate connection between loving Jesus and keeping his commandments. They just go hand in hand. It's not that I prove I love him by keeping his commandments, like it's a question whether I love him or not. And then again, maybe the one exposes the other.

How does God write his law on our hearts anyway? (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3) Certainly it is by the Holy Spirit. But perhaps the avenue the Spirit works through, the field he has to work in, the mode of the engraving is love. When God says through Moses, "These words shall be on your hearts" or "These words are near you, on your lips and in your hearts," is he saying work hard at memorizing and applying? Is he threatening us to be sure to be prepped for the exam?

Or is he saying, "Will you love me? And will you treasure my words, my teaching, my guidance?"

I think Henry Blackaby said it's not an obedience problem, or even an idolatry problem. It's a love problem. Basically, do I love really just love myself - or do I love him with all my heart AND my neighbor as myself?

And, of course, this was exactly how Jesus' summed up the commandments, and was his "new commandment" he had just given them.

Grace and commandment. Faith and obedience. Somehow they are connected by love.