Remain...not a word you hear used a lot these days. Yet Jesus uses it 3 times in the first two verses of this passage. What does it even mean to remain? When I think of remain I think of staying in one place. Well now that doesn't make much sense. We are supposed to be growing in our faith, which implies movement. Then how can I stay put but be moving at the same time. I would say then that remain isn't a static action like staying in one spot but dynamic like continuing a friendship over a long distance. Staying requires no work at all you just...well you just stay there. Remaining though seems to imply work. Meaning that it will take an effort to remain in the Father's love.
Now verse 10 gives a distinct way to remain in God's love. That is to obey his commands. It gets even easier from here. Jesus says that his command, and in this passage he gives us only one command, is to love others as he loves us. Easy right. Sweet, all I have to do in Gods love is love others no problem. Then comes the tough part. Jesus basically says that to love like him you have to give up your life for your friends.
I don't know about you but I don't often find my self in situations where I can literally give up my life (you know, take a bullet for someone) in my day-to-day life. So what does this mean to us during Lent? Don't really have a solid answer for you on that. I think that is where a little discussion with God could do wonders for us. Ask God what he would have you do to show your love for others during Lent. How might you lay down your life for your friends? Oh and don't forget that the passage also tells us Jesus is now our friend too. So how might we lay down our life for him?
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