John 15:9–11
9 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.
(ESV)
Full of Joy
Imagine the car of your dreams. Now . . . imagine that someone gave it to you. Exciting! Except
there’s one string attached—You’re not allowed to drive it.
Not being able to take full advantage of the gift is quite the waste, right?
We are often at risk of doing the same thing with Jesus. Advent is an annual reminder that
God has generously gifted us His own Son at Christmas. Yet we can be prone to not take full
advantage of this gift when we don’t remain in close relationship with Him. And in doing so, we
miss out on the joy offered in that relationship.
Jesus wants us to take full advantage of our relationship with Him in order that our “joy
may be full” (John 15:11). In verse 10, we take full advantage of our relationship with Him by
keeping Jesus’ commandments. The commandment we’re called to in John 15 is to love one
another the way Jesus loves us. That little phrase tells us something important: We take full
advantage of our relationship with Jesus both by remembering His love, and then by showing it
to one another.
At the cross, Jesus showed in high definition the greatness of His love when He laid
down His life for us. What a waste if we did not enjoy that love by keeping His commandment!
And He gives us this command not to burden us, but that our “joy may be full.”
In the midst of your Christmas schedule today, reflect for a moment on the love Jesus has
shown you, and then name one person to whom you can show it today. That’s how we take full
advantage of our relationship with Him, and live full of joy—not just on Christmas Day, but
every day.
Kevin Walker