October 8, 2026 -- Day Eight of Joy: John 15:10-11

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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. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:10-11 ESV
 
Why do I have to keep that law? Why does God demand obedience? I confess, I can easily lose focus. As I get older, my vision gets blurry. Carson Pue uses that experience as metaphor. Consider these words:
Refractive errors are an imperfection in the way the eye bends light. The spiritual
equivalent among Christian leaders seeking God’s vision is a faulty theology—not
being Christ-centred in their thinking but rather incorporating too many of the
world’s ways in defining the vision for their life. These refractive errors can almost
always be corrected with prescription lenses, and for the spiritual leader I would
suggest the corrective lens of the Bible to restore godly vision.
Carson Pue Mentoring Leaders. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2005, page 105
 
What is affecting my joy? It is the fact that the world is influencing me far more than I realize. Worldliness, the vanity of it all, taints my vision. Peers pressure me to live my best life now. When the corrective lens of Scripture is applied, I see Jesus. Jesus, Who willingly, lovingly obeyed all that His Father commanded Him. It was not a matter of Jesus keeping God’s commands in the fearful hope that this would lead Him to be loved by God the Father. No! Think of this, O my soul! From before there was time, the Father loved the Son, and the Son loved the Father. When the Son took on human flesh, He willingly fulfilled the decree of His Father in heaven. Before the world was even created, the Father had elected to redeem a people unto Himself through the Beloved.
 
What is Jesus’ joy? Knowing that His great sacrifice of love in flesh would result in my being filled with His joy. Jesus’ joy is the only source of joy that could ever be, comprehensive, lasting, and continuous joy in me. He is infinite. His Father’s love is infinite. The Spirit Who sustains the joy of the LORD in me is infinite. Where else could I ever have such a well-spring of joy? (If you’re wondering, that was not rhetorical—I should shout, yeah, you too, you should shout in reply to that last question—No where else! Jesus is all my joy!)
 
Disobedience is like taking off the corrective lens of Scripture. Sin is taking my eyes off Jesus. Rebelliousness is to look away from Jesus which means I can’t act on the life-affirming, thankfulness expressing, commands. Such commands which would otherwise keep Jesus-my-joy in full view. The moment Jesus is restored, front and centre, in my vision, I realize it is His desire that my joy in Him be as full as is His joy in the Father. Obedience to God is not drudgery. Having taken hold of Jesus by faith, obedience is the pathway into experiencing the joy which the Holy Trinity has enjoyed throughout eternity. This passage, Jesus’ prayer, is His one hand outstretched to the Father in petition, while His other hand is reaching out to me, clasping mine, inviting me. Experience real joy!
 
Jesus, You are my joy. You are the joy of all who trust in You. Spirit of the Living God lift my eyes from my circumstances, from my out-of-focus desires, and fix my eyes on Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/xd28CiLalec?si=1J0QnK3BpJ2eaBWs

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