Dear #DailyFollower,
It’s a late submission today! It’s been a long day, but a commitment is a commitment.
One letter a day to encourage fellow followers on journeys to be a part of what God is doing and blessing in our world.
So, here’s my submission for today:
To follow is to obey.
Yesterday, I shared that love is the foundation of our call to follow.
It’s because of love that we exist; it’s for love that Christ offered Himself for our redemption, and it’s for love that He called us to become a channel through which He demonstrates continuing love for the world He created.
I continue in John 15:1-11, EXB, from where I shared some of the characteristics of a daily follower. In verse 10, Jesus says:
10 I have ·obeyed [kept] my Father’s commands, and I ·remain [abide] in his love. In the same way, if you ·obey [keep] my commands, you will ·remain [abide] in my love.
I read this as:
I followed my Father so I ·remain [abide] in his love. In the same way, if you follow me, you will ·remain [abide] in my love.
Jesus never asks us to do what He hasn’t done, can’t, or won’t do.
He obeyed, and that’s why He calls us to follow His example and obey, too.
We know we are His followers only when we obey His commands.
Thankfully, He summarised His command into two main blocks: love me and love your neighbour (all creation). It’s good to see it as He said it in Matthew 22:37-40, EXB:
37 Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind [Deut. 6:5].’ 38 This is the first and ·most important [greatest] command. 39 And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].’ 40 All the law and the ·writings of the prophets [prophets] ·depend [are based; hang] on these two commands.”
John provides us (Jesus’ followers) with an update to the second command in John 13:34-35, EXB:
34 “I give you a new ·command [commandment]: Love ·each other [one another]. You must love ·each other [one another] as I have loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my ·followers [disciples] if you love ·each other [one another].”
Christ clearly states (in verse 35) that one key way to demonstrate we are faithful followers is by obeying this new commandment.
When we obey the great commandment in the light of the clarifications from John 13:34-35, we follow Jesus, as He followed God, and we position ourselves as those He can count on to fulfil His agenda in our days.
As simple as this commandment might look, if we’re being sincere with ourselves, we will admit that it’s challenging to love God as he prescribes in Matthew 22:37-40 and love all creation as he prescribed in John 13:34-35.
I’m building the #DailyFollower community to create a space to work together to grow in love collectively so we can be those people our God can count on in this crucial time in history (His-story).
If you’re interested in intentionally partnering with God in the things He’s doing and blessing in our world, click the “Subscribe Now“ button below to join our community.
Do share this with someone in your circle who is also interested in being a part of what God is doing and blessing in our world.
Yours faithfully,
John, A #DailyFollower