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(John 14:15) [Jesus speaking] "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
In this series, we're delving deeper into the teachings that Jesus left us to follow. The sixth commandment leads us to our next focus: OBEYING HIS COMMANDS ...
I want to explore this Scripture, but I must first address the core issue that continually draws us away from a mutually-loving relationship with GOD and confines us to mere religious duty. (Matthew 15:8), ‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ This passage highlights the difference between mere outward religious practices and a genuine, heartfelt relationship with GOD.
Let’s first understand just why Jesus had to come. John the Baptist spells it all out for us in Luke 1:17 “... to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
- Turning the hearts of the fathers to their children suggests mending familial relationships and fostering love and understanding within families.
- Turning the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous implies leading those who are straying from GOD toward a life of wisdom and righteousness, aligning them with GOD's will.
Overall, it's all about reconciliation and spiritual readiness. But from what? From all the ‘dependencies’ that we have come to rely on. Things that we use to get us through the day. Things that we think help us to function or feel ’normal!’ i.e.
(a) Substances [reliance on alcohol or drugs].
(b) Emotional [relying heavily on another person for emotional support or validation].
(c) Psychological [reliance on certain behaviours, routines, or objects to feel secure or at ease].
(d) Codependency [reliance on another person to an unhealthy degree, often involving enabling behaviours].
Depending on anything that is not GOD only diverts our trust from Him, consumes our attention, and creates a false sense of security. They become idols by eroding our trust in His provision, distancing us spiritually, shifting our devotion, and leading to feelings of shame or guilt.
Transitioning from these dependencies to a healthy reliance on Jesus through a living relationship with Him involves first recognising them for what they are and then engaging with Him to help you overcome them. For example, I kept insisting I wanted to quit smoking, but it wasn't until my 5-year-old daughter bluntly told me I smelled terrible that I realised the impact it had on my family. It was then that I seriously asked GOD for help—and He helped me quit right then and there!
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Let us pray, Heavenly Father, I come before You seeking clarity and strength. Help me to recognise the dependencies in my life that draw me away from You. Grant me the wisdom to understand their hold on me and the courage to let them go. Fill the spaces they occupied with Your love and guidance, and lead me to rely wholly on Your grace and provision." Amen!
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