Remain in My Love

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” 

-John 15:9, NIV 

How do we remain in Christ’s love? 

A few years ago, I heard a sermon preached on this verse that shocked me. The pastor said that this verse  was probably the one that Christians struggle the most to accept as true. We know we are loved by God. Intellectually, we can say that we know that Jesus loves is. So why is it so hard to abide in his love? 

abide (v.) 

/əˈbīd/

to remain; continue; stay: to continue in a particular condition,
attitude, relationship, etc.; last.

On a deep level, the human heart yearns for love. Yet we often find it such a challenge to STAY loved by God. To just accept His love and remain in it. To simply stay put and remember just how much the Father loves us. 

Beloved, God quite literally loves you to death. He loves you so much that He willingly went to the cross, just for you. That is a love in which you can abide. That is a love that you can trust. That is the love in which you can stay, remain, continue to be in relationship with. 

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is… what we need more than anything.”

-Pastor Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage

The challenge for us today is to remain in His love. Pray that God would teach you how to rest secure in the knowledge that, in Him, you are both deeply known and deeply loved.