There was once a married couple who didn’t love each other. The day they got married, the husband handed his wife a list of chores for her to follow. He insisted that she do all the tasks on her list every day. The wife worked hard to accomplish her assigned duties, but she was miserable as she performed them. Ironing his clothes, preparing his meals, cleaning house — every task was burdensome. Although she obeyed all his rules, she never enjoyed a loving relationship with her husband.

Then one day her husband died. After several years had passed, she fell in love with another man and got married. The new husband never required her to do anything, much less a list of jobs. Instead, he showered her with love and did everything he could to make her happy.

One day this wife was joyfully cleaning house when she discovered her first husband’s list of commands tucked away in a drawer. As she read the paper, it dawned on her that she was performing every task on the list, but now she was serving with joy instead of misery. Her love for her second husband inspired her to automatically do the same jobs that her first husband had required.  She had served her first husband out of duty, but her second husband out of love. *

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

And why are God’s commands “not burdensome”? Because the motive for obedience to God is love.

And “we love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice [or “the propitiation”] for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10 NIV).

Even though we rebel against God and disobey Him, He loves us. He loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be saved and receive the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to strive to walk obediently to His Word (1 John 1:7).

And the motive for our obedience is love. When we begin to understand just how much God loves us, our love for Him will move us to obey His will.

Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent