His Not Yours, II

John 5:²⁰ “For the Father loves the Son, and tells him everything he is doing; and the Son will do far more awesome miracles than this man’s healing.” (TLB]

John 19:²⁶ “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” (NRSV, emphasis added). God commits His most precious things to people that are convinced about His love for them. As leaders, it is good to have people that love you, but trust more the people that are settled in your love for them. Be wary of the people that always doubt your love for them. Love them but when it is time to commit the most precious things you have, commit it to the people that have unwavering confidence that you love them, and you are committed to them one hundred percent (100%). Those are the people you can trust and that is what we see in John 19:26. All the other disciples were there, in different places, Jesus could see them but who did He call? I hope you are getting this.

John 20:^1-4 “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.” (NRSV, emphasis added). John needed to write it in the Book so he outran Peter. However, if you look beyond the competitiveness of young John, even though he was an old man when he wrote the Book of John. John was probably younger than Peter, so he was more agile. However, beyond that, the truth is God’s love for you will make you run faster than your love for God. God’s love for you will make you last longer than your love for God.

John 21:^20-22 “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” (NRSV, emphasis added). Your love for God will have him respond to you probably publicly. But those that are settled in their love for God, what is between them and the Lord is between them and the Lord. It is not anybody’s business. When people go to God and ask how come she will get away with this? God will say, ‘how is that your business?’ Isn’t that the place to be?

John 5:²⁰ “For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing…” (emphasis added). There are three words in scriptures that are translated as love – Agape, Phileo, and Eros. Agape is unconditional love. It does not matter what the other person does, you love unconditionally. Eros is romantic love between a man and a woman. Phileo however is a friendship kind of love, it is two-way. The word Jesus used here is not agape, it is phileo. Making it more difficult to embrace.

Prayer: Father, help me always operate from a place of Your love for me, in Jesus Name. Amen!