Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, November 18, 2023
Shabbat Shalom,
Commandments as Windows 4
by David Harwood, 2004
At the end of last week’s meditation we looked through the window of Yeshua’s command, “Abide in My love.” (John 15:9b). We saw that this command reveals that God is a loving God who wants us to know His love.
Love wants the best for the beloved; therefore, we can conclude that knowing His love will greatly benefit us. Also, our abiding in His love will delight Him, for He is looking for a people upon whom He may lavish His affection.
Question: Is He also showing us that He wants to abide somewhere, too? Why has He commanded us to love Him with all our hearts?
Consider: God dwells in an environ of love within the Trinity’s interaction. He desires to live in the midst of our love also. That is why we’re commanded to put the priority into practice: “Love Adonai your God…” (Deut. 6:5; Matthew 22:37) Dwelling in love is important to the One who has commanded us, “Abide in My love.” (John 15:9b)
Ponder what the context of “Abide in My love” (John 15:9b) shows us about God. It was given within the overall call to abide in Yeshua. One reason Father desires us to remain in relationship with His Son is so we would bear fruit. Bearing fruit is vital to the believer. Please read the following section.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He trims so that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing. (John 15:1–5)
Since He loves us, He is giving us a key to having fruitful lives – lives that bear fruit. Yeshua told us how to abide in Him. He said,
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you. Abide in My love! (John 15:9)
The Lord specified, “Abide in My love.” Abiding therein is an obligation. It is an unlikely commandment. It is a word to which we should respond, “Yes, Lord, I will obey You in this.” This imperative should not be divorced from His desire for us to abide in Him and bear fruit. Abiding in Yeshua’s love is Messiah’s prescribed path of true spiritual development.
The Lord is saying,
“I want you to bear fruit but I want you to bear real fruit, not imitation fruit. Here’s how: Abide in Me. That’s how you will be fruitful. Through abiding in Me you will bear the fruit I desire.”
As we look through these windows, we see His ultimate goal for us (to dwell in eternal, unimpeded fellowship with Himself), and we receive illumination into God’s heart. The commandments provide a view into God’s nature. Let’s dare to believe that we can see through them, perceive God’s heart, and let’s seek to embrace the truth that is revealed.
Consider meditating on the command to abide in the Messiah’s love, and what this wonderful command reveals about God’s heart towards you. Take it personally.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarsson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 18-Nov-2023 5th of Kislev, 5784 Parashat Toldot
Ge 28:5-9 Mal 1:1-2:7 Ro 9:1-16