“I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” —John 15:11
Through all eternity, the Father and the Son have taken great delight in each other; perfect love passes between them without interruption. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that He loved them the way the Father loved Him. If they lived with this confidence, Jesus said, their joy would be “complete” (John 15:11).
Love begets love, and it also produces joy. Given the mission these disciples had ahead of them, both godly love and sustaining joy would be imperative. Their love for God and their love for one another would demonstrate the gospel they proclaimed while also filling their hearts with joy. Their obedience was never meant to be robotic. Neither is ours.
Need joy? Then receive love. Tell yourself the truth: Jesus delights in you (Prov. 8:31). As the Father has loved Him, so has He loved you (John 15:9).
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Incomparable: 50 Days with Jesus © 2024 by Revived Hearts Foundation
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible ®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible ® and CSB ® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Make it Personal
Pray through John 15:1–17, asking the Holy Spirit to fill you with joy, knowing you are perfectly loved by the Savior.