What I Need to Walk this Path


It’s getting dark, there’s no light on the path. 
I stumble and fall. 
I shouldn’t have left my best flashlight 
back there in the hall. 

I look all over for something to eat—
forgot to bring lunch!
My stomach rumbles and grumbles complaint
with nothing to munch.

So now my strength is wilting away,
with no energy stored.
Then I hear the call that I needed so much,
as I strain forward:

“Pull out the Book and take a good look!
My word is bread!
Use it as a lamp and now you can see!
You’re led and fed!”

It may seem simplistic to say that words can feed you. But the Word that comes from our God is truly our spiritual sustenance: it feeds our soul, our inner being. When we ignore it, or take just a small bite once in a while, we are not being fed. We are substituting a little snack bag of chips for the stuffed potato, or totally refusing the platter of a real meal.

God gave us the gift of his Word through his chosen servants: the prophets, the historians, the singers, the messengers, the disciples. And Jesus shared all his Father’s words for the ongoing nourishment of everyone who would enter his family, his Church. Those of us who have translations of these words in our own language are blessed with a banquet!

Jesus pushed back the temptation of Satan by underlining this very truth:

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matt. 4:4 NET)

Satan had urged him to give in to his body’s hunger; Jesus would have none of it. He knew that greater things were at stake here, and he made a point that  should prompt us to recognize the incredible value of God’s Word to give us nourishment and strength—real life!

When we rely on his instruction and do what it says, the Lord himself takes up residence in us:

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. (Jn. 14:23 NET)

When we believe in Jesus as our one Rescuer and earnestly love him, we are paying attention to him and yearning to know him better and better. If we really do love and respect him, then we will obey his commands. That is when God gladly enters our being and makes his home in us. It is way too easy to take this promise lightly and assume that a simple confession of faith is all that is necessary, that we are then free to follow our own wisdom and assuage our inner appetites with whatever we want.

No! We need to obey his words! How can we do that if we do not know what he commanded? What if we have heard them or skimmed over them but have not stored them in our minds, our hearts? What if we choose to keep them in a “church” storage cabinet in our minds, but not in the center that guides our daily life? If so, they are not living in us, living with us in the way that is necessary for intimate exchange and obedience.

Jesus’ emphasized this so much that his disciple, John, made it a theme of his written documents, to pass it on to us. Here are key verses: that show what happens when his words are not “residing in” us, in intimate connection:

. . . nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. (Jn. 5:38 NET)

The person who does not love me does not obey my words. And the word you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me. (Jn. 14:24 NET)

We can trust the words of Jesus, which came from the Father (John 15:15). They are truth:

Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. (Jn. 17:17 NET)

And as was written in the psalms, when we digest those words of truth, they empower us to resist breaking God’s commands:

Direct my steps by your word! Do not let any sin dominate me! (Ps. 119:133 NET)

In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you. (Ps. 119:11 NET)

His word is a shield to protect us from harm, from distress brought on by evil. It is also our weapon when we are attacked:

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:17 NET)

Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him. (Prov. 30:5 NET)

And it is light, given us so that we can see the path before us and not stumble and fall, but follow his directives:

Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path. (Ps. 119:105 NET)

Listen to my cry for help, O LORD! Give me insight by your word! (Ps. 119:169 NET)

This all underlines the importance of storing up God’s words in our hearts. He has given us many ways to do this, and here in the U.S. we have access to his written Word in our language as well as to many churches where his Word is preached. We can store his words firmly through spiritual practices like these:

  • listening carefully to pastors’ messages,
  • taking notes, journaling, in a way that cements them for us,
  • reading the Bible ourselves daily,
  • contemplating what we read, not just doing speed-reading,
  • memorizing key verses and passages that the Lord highlights for us,
  • discussing Scripture with other believers.

When we love his Word, we can even look forward to spending hours with it—even when sleep escapes us:

My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours, so that I can meditate on your word.  (Ps. 119:148 NET)

You can hold onto a verse or passage that you love and let it be your theme in the night!

Perhaps some other approaches have helped you—I invite you to share them with me. We are on a journey here on earth, and our Lord has given us what we need to make it to destination, following his path. We just need to respect and use those tools!

At Home

more and more at home 
he is 
entering with glad assurance 
no longer knocking 
wondering if I will see him as 
interruption 
intrusion 
guest 
who puts me on my toes
my best behavior 
politeness
with an edge of tension
whisking litter out of sight
swabbing the sink
shutting a bedroom door
mess
out of sight
out of mind?


I used to make sure
I paid attention
at the right times
served tea
observed the niceties
we were friends
but hardly intimate
coworkers
but with schedules
daytimers and appointments
lists


he was in
but not all the way


then came pain
and long confusion
followed by bleeding
distress
hurt
and
(open as never before)
I threw myself at him
no more appointments
just whenever
need grabbed my heart
and tears could not be dammed
I needed him
and every time I looked
he was still there
in my home
waiting in the chair
or walking by me
in the hall
or by my bed at night


and I forgot to shut the doors
(he knew anyway)
and I messed up on the tea
so he served me
and starting out the day
we reserved 
time for us
because it's precious
not because we "should"
shut the outer door
sit close and talk
listen
and be held


we are at home
it happened
when I opened up
in desperation
yes
and threw out protocol


and now
the thought of being home
with him
turns on the lamps
and stokes the fire
my heart burns warm
and I run fearlessly
to sit by him
assured of his glad welcome
delight
leaping into his eyes
to have me seek him out
for conversation
or just some quiet
together
where deep unspoken yearnings
move before his eyes
and he
(who knows them all already)
sees
and prays for me
and pours new strength
into my inner being


pain
you were my friend
causing me to throw
caution to the wind
and live where it matters
with my Lifegiver
Lifemate
Lover
trusting him
the two of us at home

What is the difference between just living with someone and being “at home” with them?  It truly requires being “on the same page” with them, sharing purpose and mutual love.

This poem, an acknowledgement of essential transformation in my relationship with my Lord, was written about two decades ago, a time when my spiritual learning curve was taking off in unexpected ways. My homes on earth kept being left behind, exchanged for a moment, due to ministry with its time on mission and then time for rest and reporting to supporters in the U.S. I was learning how to feel “at home” in each temporary spot as well as in the place where we constantly returned, Ferkessédougou (Ferke). My parents were doing the same thing, leaving their home near us in Ferke and building their retirement “Chalet Shalom”  in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, blending their two cultures in a Third-Culture home with reminiscences of Africa and welcoming new blessings (see photo above).

What would it mean to feel always securely at home? I contemplated the truth in Scripture that Jesus wanted to be constantly living in me, not just as a person I knew was my God and Savior, but as a true resident. I began reading the best books I could find on spiritual formation, and was impacted by Christ’s desire to actually be at home in us, his people:

(Eph. 3:17  “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust

in him.”)

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (Jn. 15:9 ESV)

The word “abide”, also often translated “remain,” has the sense of “residing” in a place, staying there. This is unsurpassed intimacy: Jesus living in you, you living in him. It is more than just shared space, it is complete openness to each other. Jesus, in us through his Spirit, is the teacher, you are the beloved follower/servant/friend being cared for and trained. He already knows everything about you; nothing can be hidden. Instead of that being scary, it is refuge. When you trip up, making a bad choice, you can come to him with regret and true repentance at any time, and he forgives. If you stubbornly refuse to admit that you have thrown dirt into your living space, he will wisely confront you with love until you let him sweep it away. He never makes bad choices or mistakes. You know that you can trust him completely, which brings you closer and closer to him, living with him in peace and love.

Welcome that loving attention! Keep every door open, do everything he tells you to do, accept his strong arms that give hugs and support! Joy that is never taken away from you will fill your inner person, your soul. This is not just “happiness,” dependent on circumstances. This is sustaining, unbreakable intimate connection to the God of love!

Called to Bear Fruit

Since I was small, 
just tasting your Word, 
I’ve longed to be like Joseph,  
whose blessing prophesied 
rampant fruitfulness. 

Let me be a fruitful vine! 
Let my roots drink deep waters 
so my shoots stretch vibrantly 
up and over the walls, 
fruit falling freely. 

I desperately need
your streams of living water
drenched with plant food
to fill me and nourish me
so that I feed others.

This is my calling:
to grow and to blossom, 
see my flowering turn to fruit,
rich clusters full of juice, 
nourishing hungry souls.

Two days ago there was rain where we live, then temperatures suddenly shaking off their late-winter vibes into the warmth of spring. It only took 48 hours for bare branches to spurt out baby green leaves and for lawns to suddenly come alive. Potent warmth and water were what they were yearning for!

We come alive like that when our thirsty hearts receive just what we need for growth:

37 On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and shouted out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and 38 let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.'” 39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.) (Jn. 7:37-39 NET)

Those of us who believe, who have been joined to Jesus (remember, he is the vine and we are the branches, cf. John 15), we now have that living water in our inner being. We often call the place where we have invited Jesus to dwell our “heart.” He lives in us through his Spirit, just as he promised:

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (Jn. 14:25 NAU)

The Spirit is our counselor who teaches us what Jesus said, and how Jesus wants us to live out his words. It is not enough to just know what he commanded us to do; we must actually put it into practice. When it shows up in how we act, speak and serve, then we become fruitful! We are offering sustenance to others through the empowerment of the Spirit in us by obeying the words that promote that kind of growth.

As Jesus said when explaining the rich meaning of this imagery, that we are like branches attached to the trunk of the vine (which is Jesus), his agape love is the key element, flowing into us and out of us. This is love that shows itself by acting for the welfare of others, kindness that reaches beyond barriers for their good.  Remaining in him, and with him remaining in us, we are in complete union in a house whose essence is love. Over and over he underlined that to be able to live with him, making him our home,  we must keep his words, his commands:

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  (Jn. 15:1 NIV)

Jesus gave us a rich collection of his words through his disciples, who wrote them down for us. It takes deep meditation to have them rooted in our hearts. We need to process and understand them. Living them out includes struggling to apply all that he said in his “Beatitudes,” and all his parables. This is a high calling that stretches us beyond what is considered “normal” in our culture. Then comes that last command:

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20 NIV)

It is a huge task that takes us out of spaces where we feel comfortable. He makes it possible, wherever we are, by being with us ALWAYS—his Spirit living in us:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)

So here we are, you and I who are contemplating the richness of all these words, longing to be more fruitful than we can ever be on our own. In union with Jesus through his Spirit, we are graced with a relationship we must cultivate by listening to the Spirit as he nourishes us with living water, by digesting the words and commands our God has left us in Scripture, then by “producing fruit” as we respond to the Spirit’s guidance daily. We are offered the best spiritual companionship ever, one overflowing with that amazing love we do not deserve but that is poured out on us and in us. Drawing our sustenance there, we can learn to do what he has commanded us to do.

What is he putting on your heart these days? Are you hearing his prompts?

My personal experience this year is this: he keeps directing me to certain Scripture passages to memorize, and while doing that I begin to contemplate what those words actually mean and how they are relevant to my life. I should not be surprised that time and time again new situations, ongoing conversations and unexpected challenges come up that direct me back to those verses. He set them before me as a feast, and my cup overflows (Ps. 23:5).

This teaching on immersion in God’s word is just what we need. Even the psalmist knew this and wrote the lengthy Psalm 119 exploring how God’s words teach us, and how they should be applied. These examples come from a heart wanting to live the way Jesus said we must live, in order to be fruitful:

33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.  (Ps. 119:33-35 NIV)

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Ps. 119:11 NIV)

Yes, that last one has coached me since my parents had me memorize it when I was just a child. When God’s words are planted deeply in our hearts, the Spirit brings them to mind when we face a temptation to stray off the path of God’s commands. Our part is to participate in this mutual effort. We drink in the words, keep them embedded in our inner being, and respond gladly to their teaching—especially when the Spirit underlines them for us.

This is the growth process that the trees and bushes, weary of winter, are demonstrating as they drink in the rain water and the warmth from the heavens. May we bloom enthusiastically too!

Be One

You prayed your heart that last night, 
surrounded by eleven men 
who listened, astonished, and took note. 
And after you left (having suffered and risen) 
John remembered to write it down. 
For me. For us. For more to come.
We need to know what yearning
you expressed for health and harmony:
that we be one.
And it’s the hardest race we’ve ever run.

In fact, most of us have opted out
to run on our own paths, alone.
Some teammates seem so distant.
Others’ tongues keep lashing out
with hurtful words, insinuation,
wounding those who pass too close,
or whip on by, or stumble in the dark.

We’ve lost the goal! We must not run
to claim a prize for personal renown,
we run to honor you.
If we could run together, and
cheer each other on, hold up the weak,
we might break through the night
to see the light of your smile
at the way we run, together, as one.

Holy Week has been a wonderful moment of remembrance , contemplating  Jesus’ sacrifice of himself to open the door to the Kingdom of God for humans, and how death could not hold him. He arose! It never gets older, only deeper. The fantastic news for those of us who enter through the door he opened is that Jesus never leaves us! His Spirit lives in us, guiding us and empowering us!

Oh how we need that constant Presence and counsel if we really respect our King and the personal command he underlined for us just before he was arrested:

“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 12 My commandment is this– to love one another just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this– that one lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.  (Jn. 15:1 NET)

It seems unrealistic to expect that we would lay down our lives for others who are also in the Kingdom. What we see (even right now in the United States) is great division, name-calling, slander. Much of it is caused by potical allegiances. Some of it is caused by a lack of respect for Jesus’ last command to his disciples. We are his disciples too, those who have believe in him!

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one . . . (Jn. 17:20 ESV)

We usually whip right past what traditionally was called “Maundy Thursday,” the day before Good Friday. This year I learned what “Maundy” means: It comes from the same root as “mandate,” and refers to that last command that Jesus gave his disciples, that they must love one another to “remain “in his love. Some translations use the word “abide” instead of “remain,” the idea being to live in his love, to have it as their permanent residence. Isn’t that exactly where we would like to live? His love, shown in the way he gave himself up for us, is constant and alive. It is filled with purpose: the welfare and growth of his people!

So why do we so easily skip over what Jesus underlined as absolutely essential? Often it may be because we find it impossible to love people who are difficult, even hurtful, in our community of Christians. How can we love them? How can we maintain a kind of unity that show that we “one” in Jesus Christ?

Digging into the real meaning of this kind of love can help us understand what Jesus is asking of us. The Greek word used in this context is not philos, but agape. Philos describes the natural emotional affection we have for family and close friends. Agape covers much broader territory and is made clear to us by the love that God has for the world (even those who reject him). The Son of God demonstrated it for us at the cross, giving his life for us. I find this explanation clear:

“The kind of love that we need in order to love people we don’t like is agape love. Now, agape love is not a feeling. We can love with agape love whether the feelings are present or absent, whether they are good or bad, whether this love is reciprocated or not. It is not a feeling.

“Agape love is an action. That’s how it’s always described in scripture. The Bible tells us that we know that God loves us because he sent his Son into the world to redeem us. We know that Jesus loves us because he gave his life for us. The Bible says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man give his life for a friend.” And God says that he will know that we love him if we keep his commandments.”[1]

This means that even if we find a person difficult, and would not say that we like them, we must show love in action, caring for their welfare. We must pray earnestly for them, and ask that our own reactions would be honoring to our Lord. It may take some “pruning” (John !5:2); we need to be aware of our own failure to show love and let the Lord remove that “dead branch” from us, so that we can be fruitful.

Paul gave lots of information about how to live out agape in his letters to the churches. This is one succinct example:

8 But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices 10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. 11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. 14 And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. 15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  (Col. 3:8-17 NET)

Verse 11 gives a warning against any divisions based on ethnicity or social status. We are all chosen by God to be his people and must do everything for him (v. 17), so our actions and words must be exactly what he wants us to do. He is right here with us. He knows what’s going on. If we have been digesting his word, letting it actually live in us, it is his words that we must graciously use to encourage one another. Yes:

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Eph. 4:14-15 NIV)

Once again, love in our way of speaking is key! It results in a healthy, mature body: the community of Christ’s people.

Verses 12 and 13 list the key character qualities we must be working hard at developing with the Spirit’s help: mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.  We are to wear these qualities as our clothing—that is what others see us as. They are rooted in our hearts and flow out in our visible actions.

And of course there is a requirement to forgive others. Love is that antidote! We truly need the Spirit!

Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh. (Lev. 19:18 CSB)

We truly need the Spirit’s empowerment!

[1]  Mary (Whelchel) Lowman, The Christian Working Woman, https://christianworkingwoman.org/broadcast/how-to-love-the-people-you-dont-liker/

Made to Bear Fruit

Chosen:
      before you spoke
            the world, the sky, humanity
                    into being
Rescued:
      from my rotting self
            and destiny of darkness, loss,
                  eternal death
Gifted: 
     to do my special part
          in this Body, your Family,
                  for your purposes
Sent:
       to bring the news
             about the Rescuer to others
                   still hopeless
Planted:
      just where you want me
           rooted in your love and kindness
               to bear good fruit

My mind is blown away when I contemplate the grace that has brought me to this place in my life journey. It was no surprise to God; he had me in mind, “chosen,” before he created the world. He knew what choices I would make, especially the one that would attach me to Jesus Christ! He knows every part of his plan for you, too.

This mystery of “my choice” and “God’s choice” is confusing. Lately in several conversations I have brought up the way my own father, Dwight M. Slater, explained it: “You decide to enter the one Door to salvation, placing your faith in Jesus. There is a sign on the Door that says: ‘Whosoever will, to the Lord may come!’ When you’ve passed through, you shut the door and find that there is another sign on that side of it, ‘Welcome! You were chosen before the foundation of the world!’ “ These “signs” are, of course, based on Scripture verses that state these truths (Romans 10:13; Ephesians 1:4). Yes, God gave us free will, and when he calls us to himself we have a choice to make. He knew whether or not we would choose him; in fact, he had a life plan set in place for us once we were following him. We have both free will and are predestined, whether we understand that or not.

I find it comforting to dwell on this truth and what I mean to him, that he would pay attention to me, so minute in the masses of his people, and even make me into who he wants me to be for his purposes. You are known, too!

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  (Ps. 139:13-17 ESV)

Jesus made this explicit when he talked with his disciples in those last hours before his arrest. He had chosen them and had a task for them: to bear fruit that would last, a genuine kind of produce that does not spoil. A good question comes up here: did he mean this just for his eleven faithful disciples, or also for those of us who would come after them? The answer is in his wonderful prayer that is recorded in John 17. It comes after he acknowledges that he has completed the task the Father had given him, to teach his disciples the messages from the Father (17:6-8). Now he was sending them out to share these words of truth, and his prayer was both for the disciples and for those would believe in Jesus because they would accept God’s words because of the disciples’ ministry of passing them on. He prayed:

17 Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. 19 And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart. 20 “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, 21 that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. (Jn. 17:1 NET)

Yes, we believe because their writings have shared the truth with us! Jesus prepared the way for us to be one with him and the Father, and one with each other. It is indeed a high and wonderful calling. When we live it out, we also bear lasting fruit. Some say that this “fruit” is righteous living. Others say it is bringing new believers into the Kingdom—preaching the Good News. It is, rather, the complete impact of the life of someone who is truly attached to the Vine, Jesus. As Colin G. Kruse says::

“The context, which stresses that fruit is produced as the disciples maintain their fellowship with Jesus by keeping his word and when Jesus continues to fellowship with them by the Spirit, suggests that fruit refers to the entire life and ministry of those who follow Jesus’ teaching and experience his presence in their lives through the Spirit.”[1]

So where has the Lord planted you? How is your life reflecting his love? That is actually the key, primary ingredient: love. Jesus underlined it multiple times in his last words with his disciples. When he made it clear that they had been chosen by him and prepared for ministry, he emphasized the importance of their reliance on him through prayer and through love for one another:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 17 This I command you– to love one another. (Jn. 15:16,17 NET)

To have that essential love for one another, agape love that cares about the well-being of another person, is his command. When we live it out, we bear the fruit that he has in mind. And as we grow closer and closer to God, knowing him and his character, his love will increasingly fill us. This is how Jesus put it in his prayer:

6 I made known your name to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them, and I may be in them.” (Jn. 17:1 NET)

May it be so! Let’s live it out!

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! 3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. 4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. 5 He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will– 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.  (Eph. 1:2-6 NET)

[1] Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, Second edition, vol. 4, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2017), 369.

For the Joy Set Before Him

He knew where he was going 
when he rode into the City of Peace 
that received him with such welcome: 
shouts of joy based on false expectations,
praise that would dissolve to bitterness
when his peace was not what they’d hoped for.

He knew that they would turn on him,
following their leaders, men jealous
of his power and rising fame.
He was sent for this intense rejection.
He’d known the end from the beginning. 
So he continued to push forward

toward condemnation, torture, death,
toward an excruciating pain
far worse than physical agony:
He was going to have the evil wrongs
done by the humans that he loved
thrown on him. Enormous weight!

But he kept on going toward the cross.
He was aware of all the chaos
but his eyes were firmly fixed
on higher things, the ultimate goal:
Joy! At last death would be conquered,
true rescue would be paid for, offered!

The raw insults and contempt
were the dark valley he must cross
to end up hung on a cruel cross.
He would obey commands laid out
in his own Word long ago, prophecies: 
what must be done to bring eternal joy.

A new covenant was necessary,
it must be signed in blood!
But no! Not animal blood this time!
His own blood would seal forever
the Promise, the Way to belong to God
and freely enter his Kingdom of love!

Eyes on the throne where Yahweh rules,
knowing it would be his forever,
knowing he would then bring life
to millions who would turn to him,
his eyes saw love and joy completed,
God’s great plan fulfilled at last!

Yes, Jesus knew what was awaiting him in Jerusalem. But he went there anyway. He had already told his disciples all that was going to happen to him there (Matt 17:22-23, Luke 9:22; 18:31-33). At their final meal together he explained that what was going to happen to him would involve his blood being shed, and it would not be for nothing. No! He was going to arrange for a new world order, the kingdom of God, with citizens who would belong exclusively to him and would live according to his purposes in this world. It would initiate a legal document, an eternal alliance between God and humanity:

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.  (Lk. 22:20 NIV)

A new covenant? Why was it necessary? Because his former covenants with people had all been broken (Jer 11.10; Hos 6:7; 8:1). A covenant is a formal legal document with promises and laws that must be kept; it also includes consequences for not respecting them, so when the covenant people turned completely aside the covenant was broken.

Genesis 15-17 gives a detailed account of the way Yahweh made a covenant with Abram that had lasting effect, and it was done by splitting animal bodies in two, setting them opposite each other. Abram had to protect them from vultures, but as darkness fell he also fell asleep. And then “a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the animals.” (Gen 15:17), after which God made the details of the covenant clear to Abram (whose name was changed to Abraham).

Think about the blood and gore  lying there by Abram, and then his astonishment when God spoke with him and made incredible promises. The symbols for God, extreme heat and light, passed between those bloody carcasses. The covenant was sealed.

Jesus was the sacrifice that brought in the new covenant; his very own holy blood, with no sin, was pouring from his hands and feet on the cross. It was the eternal seal of the everlasting covenant between God and humanity.

If we accept the terms of the covenant, which include faith in Jesus as Messiah and Savior and the only Way to God, then we enter into his Kingdom. It is a Kingdom of total justice and goodness, with commands that its citizens must obey. We need to know what they are and obey them!  This is promised: as covenant followers we will enter into the experience of his supreme joy.

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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (Jn. 15:10-11 NIV)

Jesus obeyed the divine command to lay down his life for us, for all who would believe in him and become his own people. His blood sealed the covenant, with its commands. If we believe in his sacrifice and give ourselves completely to him, we must be obedient—and this brings joy, because we are walking with him daily, experiencing his love, and also realizing that we have entered eternal joy that is waiting for us after this earthly life. If our heart-eyes are looking ahead with confidence, then we have that joyful hope that is not “I hope so” but “I know it’s true!”  It is faith. There is true joy that is fully complete up ahead beyond this world’s darkness,  and as we run toward that goal our Savior’s love lives in us and instills current joy. Thank you, Jesus!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13 NIV)

We must keep our eyes fixed on him, not on the dark world around us. The joy of the Lord strengthens us and gives us solid, confident hope! As the writer to the Hebrews pointed out, many of God’s people have shown us how to live out our faith (see Hebrews 11), and now it’s our turn. How can we make it to our finish line?  Eyes fixed on Jesus:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:1,2 NIV)

Craving Joy


When sorrow sits heavy on my soul 
I want to remember to go deep, 
stretch down to my foundations, 
touch the joy that lies there, 
waiting, holding on. 

It’s easy to forget, to wallow in the mud 
that seems pervasive, heavy, dark. 
But my Mentor has been nourishing 
my roots, plunging them yet further
into the source of Life.

It springs up constantly out of his stores.
I want each tendril to wake up,
draw in that precious energy
of Truth that never changes,
send Joy zinging

into each fingertip, into my eyes
so that I see things differently,
colored by his radiant love.
My heart will beat his rhythms
within the sorrow.

This month I’ve been studying Lamentations, preparing it for translation into Nyarafolo (Côte d’Ivoire). It is striking the way the writer elaborates in great detail the suffering his nation has gone through because of their sin, yet turns the central chapter around to focus on hope. It is not “I-hope-so” hope, but assurance that in spite of all the horrors God is faithful, and he will bring back joy.

This has kept me contemplating chaos and ongoing suffering, whether worldwide, national or personal. Grief is real. Sorrow is deep sadness. It is not realistic or healthy to say: “Just get over it! Everything will be all right!” But the Bible does say:

 One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning. (Ps. 30:5 NET)

That gives us something to look forward to and changes how we view the future. During the suffering, though, does joy just vanish? Paul gives his own testimony about this, starting with a long list of all the horrible things that have happened and are happening to him, inserting near the end that although he is sorrowful, he is “always rejoicing”! (2 Cor. 6:10 NIV)

Was he just an extraordinary Christian, or is this joy in the middle of sorrow something we Jesus-followers can truly experience?

Many pastors and scholars have delved into this. What I’ve learned is that our understanding of the implications of the word “joy” has grown shallow. We tend to use the words “happiness” and “joy” interchangeably in English. Both are important to our lives, but what I find helpful is a differentiation made meaningful by the Healing Springs Wellness  Center:

“When we experience happiness, our brains activate reward centers and release dopamine—the same neurotransmitter involved in addictive behaviors. This creates a cycle where we constantly seek the next ‘happiness hit’ to maintain those positive feelings.

“Joy activates different brain regions entirely. It stimulates areas associated with: meaning-making and purpose; spiritual and transcendent experiences; long-term wellbeing and contentment; emotional regulation and resilience.”[1]

Joy is therefore “a more stable and sustainable emotion than happiness.”[2]

So happiness is a good thing, it just can’t produce the healthy ongoing stability that comes from joy. The Bible is clear that joy is produced in us by the Spirit’s work (Gal. 5:22)—it is not just man-made. We can hold onto this joy, knowing that God will also use our suffering for his good purposes, so that we become increasingly mature in our inner person:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (Jas. 1:2,3 NIV)

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom. 5:3-5 NET)

When we are going through hard times (physical, emotional, social, whatever!) the darkness feels like it takes over. We cannot just shrug it off and claim that we’re fine, or give that advice to someone else. But we can remember that our loving God is at work in us and that his promise is also eternal life with him.

If we remember that we have a solid assurance of ongoing and everlasting joy, we can cling to that. Since that is not just a passing emotion but truth, put in place by God himself—the Spirit who lives in us—we can draw life-water from it to assuage our thirst even in the middle of a desert. It refreshes us even in the middle of sorrow when we dig deep into that source in our souls. So interacting with the statement in Psalm 30.5 that says “joy comes in the morning,”  John Piper puts it this way:

” . . .it is just as true that my night of weeping would give way, in due time, to a tearless joy. That’s what I think the psalmist means when he says that joy follows sorrow. There are waves of sorrow and pain and loss that break, big waves that break, over the unshakable rock of Christian joy, and these waves submerge the laughter in the surging. You can feel it: the surging surf of weeping that wells up unbidden from your heart. But they don’t dislodge the rock, and the waves recede in due time, and the rock glistens again in tearless sunlight.”[3]

That “rock” of Christian joy is based on assurance that we are never alone, that God’s love is filling us and holding us through the storm, and that eternal joy is ahead. That is our solid rock. In my poem, I compared that joy to the springs of living water that nourish us all the time. We keep growing and producing fruit that includes endurance and joy when we stay rooted in the our sustaining assurance that God is sovereign and intimately involved with us. I remind myself to drink it in, even when I feel overwhelmed.

Jesus himself said that if we are walking with him, doing what he says, we will have this joy:

If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. (Jn. 15:10-11 NET)

Cling to the joy!

[1] https://healingspringswellness.com/joy-vs-happiness-mental-health/

[2] Ibid., Dr. Antonio Damasio

[3] https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/does-joy-come-after-suffering-or-in-it  

Poured Out

I pour out my heart before you 
and there it lies, 
a puddle in your golden bowl: 
scent of sorrow, undertone of angst. 

You swirl the mixture deftly
and I see the colors whirl
to form a spiral carousel:
black of blindness, counterpoint of pearl

with an interplay of scarlet
(all the dreams I’ve had
now seasoned and remade
into a fragrant ointment by your hand).

My very self is liquid.
All I know is that,
ladled from the pitcher that you hold,
I’m poured out, sacrificed alive.

And I would rather be an offering
proffered by your hand
for whatever purpose you design
than live my life intact, but hard as nails.

Maybe you’ve come to a place where hurts or fears are wrenching, but you pray desperately to God and hand it all over to him. Maybe it’s that you just had an unexpected answer to prayer, and you want to let him know what it means to you. Emptying yourself before the Throne is what I am contemplating today: pouring out whatever we have in grief or in gratitude. It’s biblical:

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Ps. 62:8 NIV)

David was reminding his people to bring their fears to God, the only one who has true, ultimate power and steadfast love. His people must come in trust and be willing to just let it all out—“pour out your hearts.” When we do that, we find release and refuge.

“Pouring out” also is the figure of letting go of control. It honors God as our refuge and strength, the one in charge.

I can list some milestone moments when I knew that one choice was clear: would I just shove ahead and do what I wanted to do, or would I throw myself completely into Jesus’ hands, trusting his love and his purpose?

When I was twenty years old I was questioning my call to missions. I was starting college and I had a boyfriend. We had never discussed whether or not we would consider missions. But I suspected he had other plans. And there was war in many places! What if God wanted me to go to one of them, or to a place where Christians were severely persecuted? Maybe the promptings I had heard in my childhood and my teen years were just emotional moments.

Then at Urbana ’70, the InverVarsity Christian Fellowship Missions Conference, Paul Little’s message showed me what I was doing wrong: instead of just saying “yes” to whatever God’s will was, I was not trusting him. I was scared of what he would require, and that meant that I did not really believe in his goodness and love. Convicted of my self-sufficiency and rejection of him, I gave myself over to him.  It was all I had to give, I realized. I felt “poured out,” like a sacrifice.

At that time I had no idea how God would show me his plan. Looking back, I chuckle at my lack of faith. He was already preparing me, in so many ways, for a life spent mostly in Africa with that man I was so attracted to, with a purpose only the Lord himself could have been putting in place. It did contain many challenges. I wrote the poem above thirty years later during a difficult season! What I was learning was to constantly give my Lord whatever I had to give and let him use it as a fragrant sacrificial offering.

I hadn’t known until doing Bible translation (especially the book of Numbers), that fragrant aromas were an integral part of many sacrifices to Yahweh God. When it comes to considering our personal selves as a fragrant offering, we are to look to the example of the Son of God himself:

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5:1 NIV)

When we give ourselves up to God out of love for him, accepting his love for us and then living a life of love, it becomes and increasingly fragrant aroma to those he brings us in contact with. They may not like the scent; they may even distance themselves from it. But others will want to know what that unique fragrance is and may even search for it until they find it. It’s as if we are on exhibit:

But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? (2 Cor. 2:14 CSB)

Another example of a fragrant sacrifice is the one that certain women gave Jesus just days before his crucifixion: they poured extremely costly oil, fragrantly spiced, on Jesus. They were giving him what they had to give. He understood both their depth of commitment to him, no matter what people thought, and that this “pouring out” had symbolism way beyond their understanding.

Let’s look at the when Mary poured her perfume on his feet, six days before the Passover feast (John 11-12). She knew Jesus well, and had been one of his most avid listeners even before she witnessed him raising her brother from the dead. We don’t know if she had heard him share that he was going to die in Jerusalem, where he would soon be going. But Mary and her sister Martha were convinced that he was Messiah (Martha told him so, just before he raised Lazarus), and had seen their brother resurrected. What could be done to show their complete devotion to him?

When Jesus and his discisples came back to Bethany on their way to Jerusalem, they gave a dinner for him. Martha was serving the meal, which was her gifting, her way of showing love and respect. Lazarus sat at the table with him. Where was Mary? She finally showed up, bringing with her a container of a precious gift she would use to show her devotion to him:

Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.) (Jn. 12:3 NET)

It was what she had to give him. It said that he was worth anything no matter the cost. And pouring the oil on his feet was the job of a servant, not anyone of status. Mary showed her humility by also wiping his feet with her very own hair. It was an extravagant act of worship of Messiah (the Greek word means “anointed one”, one chosen for a specific service). While Judas Iscariot saw it as a waste of funds, Jesus pointed out that Mary’s timing was one of the signs pointing to what was coming: his death and burial. Not much time was left to be with him; this was a sacred moment in his presence before he would be killed.

Mary did what God had put in her heart, an act of love that would serve as a model to those who witnessed it, and also to us in a very distant future. We are stunned when we understand what was happening as Mary poured out out her love in the best way she could think of doing it.

What do I have to offer the one who gave himself for me?  My very self! My time, my life! It is my surrender to the King of Kings to be his humble servant, expressing my gratitude for my astonishing current status as his own daughter as well! All I am doing is pouring out to him all I have, for him to use as he desires. All I am doing is following his own example!

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5:1 NIV)

Savoring the Moment

Time tumbles forward, 
water over the cliff, 
and my life raft  
is all too quickly 
swept downstream. 

January hurtles past,
April, May, August . . .
I cling to the edges
and try not to swallow 
days whole, untasted.

What is life worth
if not lived with purpose?
What if I stay
tuned to winter freeze
when the sun is out?

I say no to that,
missing it all
with eyes on my rights
instead of God’s goals;
what he wants matters!

I will taste each moment, 
savoring Creator’s spice,
following his
instruction manual,
sharing the feast.

I attended three funerals this past month. That is truly a wakeup call, a reminder that we never know how much time we have left on earth. Our reaction can vary from trying to check off all those points on our bucket list: famous places to see, friends to visit, leisure activities to enjoy.  Those are not bad in themselves, because enjoying  our world and various seasons of life is healthy.

But what if we also let God be iinvolved in planning how we use our time? Since he is walking with us, holding us by the hand, continually eager to increase our fruitfulness, what is he saying about his purpose in each moment he gives us? He truly does want every moment of our lives to be dedicated to him, in joy or pain, in solitude or fellowship or out in the world somewhere.

If we want to be “holy,” it means we must be set apart for our Lord, consecrated to serving him. It has “to do with moving beyond the ego with its narcistic concerns and hedonistic interests—a real ‘death to self’.”[1] Living out this holiness thus requires “a selfless openness and response to God’s call in this sacred moment.”[2] Yes, a response! We cannot only learn how we should obey; we must let our mouths, hands and feet live it out!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:17 NIV)

Viewing every moment as dedicated to God is what makes a moment “sacred,” whether we are washing dishes, writing letters, doing homework, fixing a car, or just responding to the Spirit’s prompting to call someone or to help the person in front of us. It means being alert to the whispers of his voice or the nudge that incites an action. When we begin to notice and respond to this guidance it changes everything: we find joy in doing what he says, and we learn what it actually means to leave one’s self behind. We have a loving Father, so he does astonish us with moments of delight and great surprises. To be complete, he wants us to serve the Word, reaching out in love to others.

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  (Jn. 15:8-12 NIV)

Walking through life nourished by our Rescuer’s love, sharing that nourishment with those he puts in our community, this is what gives us complete joy. To accomplish it we must let Jesus take over our lives and direct them, moment by moment. How can we develop that sensitivity to his guidance? It takes practice. Contemplation of the Word that he left us is a solid beginning. Conversation with him, not just once or twice in a day but throughout the day, builds a focus on each “sacred moment.” How is life being dedicated to him? There are many ways to develop awareness of whether one is putting such awareness into practice. Here are a few notes that are helping me become alert as I talk and listen to my Guide:

  • Am I fulfilling the responsibilities you have given me? (This could be doing laundry, or carrying out ministry I’ve been given, or caring for myself and caring for others, all day long.)
  • What should I do next?
  • What time do you want me to set aside, focused on you alone?
  • What time do you want me to set aside to reach out to ___________ ?
  • What gift do I notice that I want to thank you for?
  • Please show me your priority for this moment, and help me to fulfill it!

This is part of “sanctification,” the ongoing transformation to holiness that we experience by the work of the Spirit in us and our response to it. Giving him control of our time makes it possible for us to set apart each moment for him. And he will use this practice for his excellent purposes. Glenn and I asked that the song below be sung at our wedding[3] as an expression of our yearning to be devoted to our Lord. Those last lines say it all: “Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,.” It has been a long journey from that beginning in our early twenties to these years in our seventies, but we can look back and see how he has been the One carefully answering our prayers for this spiritual formation. I would love to hear your stories that testify to this too!

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

[1] Haase, Albert, O.F.M. This Sacred Moment\: Becoming Holy Right Where You Are.  (IVP Books, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2010), p. 12

[2] Ibid., p. 15

[3]  “Take My Life and Let it Be”,Frances Ridley Havergal.

Pruned by the Wind

Leafless branches litter the wet earth 
in the aftermath of the storm. 
It came suddenly out of the north 
with a powerful wind 
that whipped through the trees 
and cleaned them out. 
Cobwebs are gone.
The dead weight of lifeless wood
was lifted away and the tree is free,
stretching up toward sky and sun.

Spirit-wind, breath of God,
sometimes gently whispering hope
and polishing my skin,
you also can come ripping through 
like a forceful hurricane.
I can tell what you’ve produced:
quiet moments that bring to life
blooms with rustling beauty,
or telltale signs of pruning
that those gales leave behind.
Of course I felt the wrenching
as dead limbs were torn off,
lashed by invisible force, blown away.

What is left is living, ready to thrive,
to bud and ripen good fruit.
I’ve been feeling that stash of love!
Thank you for freeing me,
lifting the grip of sins
and weight of false expectations.
I bask in the light of your smile
and the tender touch of your Breeze,
ready to keep on growing,
knowing that all you do is for my good:
to make me more like you,
bearing fruit to feed the world.

Nature truly speaks. Affter that wind whipped through our courtyard back in Ferkessédougou, any branch that was weak had been broken off and was waiting to be picked up and thrown away. The mango trees and lime trees, in particular, had been pruned. In the months to come, we would begin to see the beginnings of delicious fruit we longed for.

This imagery is what Jesus used when talking about the branches, we who are his disciples and are attached to  him (John 15). Those branches that stay firmly attached will be fruitful because he prunes them so that they are healthy, not weighed down with unproductive twigs.  Any weak, withered shoots are cut off and thrown away. He makes it clear that this is a kind of cleaning up! The branch is freed of excess weight that does no good,  or twigs that have been infected. Then it can produce lots of excellent fruit.

Applying the image to us means that we need to have him clean us up so that we are not dragged down by all that is not productive or is diseased.  The way that he does this is through his commands that show us how to live in a healthy way: his word. I used to wonder why he told his disciples that they were already “clean,” in the middle of his discourse  about cutting off branches:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  (Jn. 15:-1-3 NIV)

Then one day I read the footnote in my NIV 2011 Bible: “The Greek for he prunes also means he cleans.”  So Jesus was taking the imagery of the vinekeepers’ work and making its interpretation clear when he applied it to the spiritual work he was doing in his disciples. He had spoken God’s words to them, and as they learned to practice what those words said was right in God’s eyes, they were being cleaned. Sin was being taken out of their lives and they were being made healthy spiritually. The NET note for the verse underlines this: “The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin.”

Over and over he has repeated the prerequisite for being a healthy “branch” that remains attached to the Vine, himself:  they must “remain in” Him:

 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  (Jn. 15:1 NIV)

That emphasis refers to staying firmly committed to Jesus, living life for him and because of him. We must make him our source of spiritual life and empowerment in the same way that a branch draws all its sustenance from the trunk of the vine. But it also underlines a warning: to not ever turn away from him and become “unfruitful.” So how do we stay firmly attached, remaining in him? Continuing his teaching, Jesus said:

10 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. (Jn. 15:10 NIV)

His words, his commands, show us what it means to be devoted to him. If we obey them, we are living out our commitment, staying attached. And there is one essential command that that we must obey to stay firmly attached to him:

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (Jn. 15:1 NIV)

This is a High Calling! Jesus suffered to the extreme, to the nth degree, and gave himself over to death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, all because of his love for humanity—his love for you, for me. Are we practicing this kind of love in our community? Are we pouring ourselves out for the good of others, doing it out of love that flows from our intimate loving relationship with Jesus, our God and Savior? We must turn our hearts and actions in this direction in order to “remain” in his love!

True, we are incapable of performing this through our own strength. We wither, because if we just try to do it ourselves we are not drinking in the life-giving “sap” that flows from the vine into us, the branches. But as we increase our intimate personal relationship with our Lord, opening ourselves constantly to his work in reshaping us and giving us spiritual strength, we will become increasingly aware of how he want us to love like he does. This is not just emotional attraction. It is agape love (ἀγάπη) that values the other person. I appreciate this explicit rendering in the Danker Greek NT Lexicon:   “think of God and you think of  agape” !  The Friberg Analytical Greek Lexicon defines agape this way: “love as based on evaluation and choice, a matter of will and action.”

When my Nyarafolo team and I were trying to figure out a way to express God’s love as the reason that he sent Jesus to us, it was a daunting challenge. The automatic way to express that you love someone in their language is “they please me.” We realized that it could not work in John 3:16. It would be incorrect to say that God was so pleased with the world that he gave his Son to die for us! No! He saw our wickedness, our ongoing brokenness. Abdoulaye Ouattara was a team member that we had sent to a seminary to get training for translation. So I urged him to  explore various expressions that would fit the concept of agape . He found this one which is now in the Nyarafolo Scriptures: “for the worth of humanity (their essence) was so very great to God that he gave his Son  . . .”   We meant so much to him that he gave us his life for us! This is true love indeed.

How should we apply that when it comes to “loving one another” in the community of Jesus followers? How about when that person is difficult to understand, or irritating? What if they are still beginners in their walk and we see them tripping? How would agape love choose to act toward them? In each case, we need to remember the measure of God’s love for us, shown by the very personal self-sacrifice he actually carried out for our sake. Let’s ask our Savior to cleanse us with his word, to remove our broken impulses and unloving words and actions. Pruned, we are made ready to grow. We must listen and follow his counsel in each situation, testing to see if we are listening attentively. We know that his counsel will be to choose to act with kindness and unselfishness for the good of those in our community, following his example!

Now grab this: the amazing result of obediently living out agape love is not fatigue, as one might think. It is joy!

10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  (Jn. 15:1 NIV)