“How do I love thee, let me count the ways.” This is the famous opening line of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s, Sonnet 43. This line makes me think, “How do we show our love for Jesus?” Jesus made His answer to this question clear in John 14:21,
"Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me."
Jesus says obedience to Him truly defines who His faithful disciples are and how much they love Him. If we sing, dance, worship, give, study the Word, but do not obey what He says to us, our discipleship is severely lacking. Our lived-out obedience is received by Jesus as love. This is why James tells us faith without works is dead.
God, speaking through the prophet Amos, said He would reject the religious festivals, the solemn assemblies, and all the related activities because His people were not living in obedience to Him.
All the aspects of being a disciple are dependent on our commitment to obedience. In the same way parents desire obedience from their children, God desires for us to obey Him. Deuteronomy 28 is an entire chapter on the blessings of obedience and the negative consequences of our disobedience.
Dare to ask God this question today, “In what areas of my life am I not fully obedient to you?” Perhaps, this is the most important question any disciple can ask.
God’s passion for His people can not be extinguished. Do you embody this same passion?