Day 214: John 14:22–26

If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (v. 23).

One of the most significant qualities found in God’s brand of love is that it is demonstrative. Christ directed His followers to love as He loved them. This implies that the more we obey and love God, the more vividly we may see, experience, and enjoy demonstrations of His love. But like His disciples, we are often unable to recognize the demonstration until we obey the wooing of the Spirit in repentance and sprout the firstfruits of love.

I’ve lived an illustration that might help: God brought a darling young woman into my life who had been through untold turmoil. Abused and misused, she didn’t trust anyone. She needed love as badly as anyone I had ever known, but she was terribly suspicious and hard to show love to. God, however, kept insisting that I show her the love of Jesus.

One day I said to Him, “Lord, I’m trying to be obedient, but she is just like trying to hug a porcupine!” Over the months and years, God turned my beloved porcupine into a puppy. I loved her throughout our relationship, but the softer and more loving she became, the more love I was able to show her. As she grew more loving, she could better receive the love I had for her.

On a much greater scale, I believe the principle applies to God’s demonstration of love to us. I am convinced that the more we obey and love Christ Jesus, the more He will disclose Himself to us. We are perpetually surrounded by means through which He could show us His worth, His providence, and His presence. But we must open the eyes of our spirit to see it—by loving Him and obeying Him.

I am persuaded that the truth God inspired in the apostle John became the apostle’s virtual philosophy and approach to life. We have already concluded that John forsook ambition for affection. Love became his absolute center. He was a man who pursued obedience even when no one was watching. With his whole being, He lived the divine conditions of John 14.

Years down the road, then, is it any wonder our immortal Savior and Lord handpicked him when He determined to deliver the incomparable book of Revelation? How fitting. John himself represents the ultimate human example of his own penmanship.