lasting love
"Your fruit must endure." —John 15:16
Jesus, the Vine, commands us, the branches, to bear fruit that is not only abundant but also lasting (Jn 15:16). Our commitment to the Lord and the commitments of those whom we have led to the Lord will last, if these commitments are:
- "rooted in [Jesus] and built up in Him" (Col 2:7),
- confirmed by the Holy Spirit,
- founded on the rock of hearing and obeying God's Word (Mt 7:24ff),
- in submission to the authority of the Church, "the pillar and bulwark of truth" (1 Tm 3:15),
- fire-tried by "the distress of many trials" (1 Pt 1:6-7), and
- surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1).
Jesus is "the First and the Last" (Rv 22:13). His love for us endures forever. May our love for Him last forever.
Prayer: Father, You are my first and last Love (see Rv 2:4).
Promise: "When it was read there was great delight at the encouragement it gave." —Acts 15:31
Praise: Janet had never fasted a whole day before, but did so for the first time on a Friday, the day her Lord died.
Reference: (For a related teaching on Living in Reality, order, listen to or download our series starting with CD 38-1 or DVD 38 on our website or order or download our book of the same name.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 12, 2017
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