John 15:10 (NIV,) “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.’
Ah, the thought of remaining in God’s love!
There’s certain wooing in the message of this great verse. Who doesn’t want to remain the perfect love of our loving God?
I love that Jesus clearly teaches how His disciples how to remain in His love!
Keeping equals remaining. Keep is the Greek word tereo (tay-reh’-o).
It means to attend to carefully, take care of, guard, observe, and watch over. Jesus wants us to make a fortress around His instructions so they might not escape from our heart and mind.
The promise of our keeping is our remaining in God’s great and perfect love.
Remain, also translated as abide, is the Greek word men-o (men’-o).
It means to be held, kept, continually. God will continually hold and keep His disciples in His love when we keep His instructions. Sounds like a great plan to me!
The good news continues in verse 11, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Our remaining and our joy are possible through our keeping.
