Day 24: Just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love
The night air is cool, and the torch flickers in the breeze. The disciples are weary, but Jesus presses on. He leans forward and reiterates the idea that obedience is the key to remaining in his love. Jesus’ eyes are bright as he looks intently around the circle of familiar, beloved faces. His gaze lingers on Peter. Perhaps tears pool as he lovingly considers the difficult journey ahead of Peter. Acutely aware that Judas is, even at that moment, betraying him to the religious leaders, Jesus swallows hard and blinks back the tears. He takes a deep breath, places one hand on his chest, and with a slow, measured cadence he continues,
“…just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
Eyes narrow and brows furrow as the disciples nod, thinking they understand. Perhaps they remember all the times, and as recently as just an hour before, when Jesus declared he only does and says what the Father commands. Maybe they remember Jesus sitting on the well in Samaria saying, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me.” Jesus’ deepest delight was to do the will of the Father. He had modeled obedience for three years, and he knew the disciples would see, but perhaps not completely understand, the ultimate act of submission and love that was about to unfold on the cross. He sighs and leans back. Crossing his arms, he pauses to observe the disciples and smiles as he contemplates his next words.
Since Jesus was fully and equally God, his will was always in alignment with the Father’s will. Since Jesus was fully human, he had to choose obedience.
He chose to “humble himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Jesus showed us what it looks like to be fully human in joyful submission to God. Sometimes, when we say we are “choosing to obey,” it’s because our wills are not in alignment with the authority to whom we are submitting. Jesus demonstrates a new way of obedience that is in joyful alignment with God’s will.
Vineyard Metaphor
Wine is the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands. Both the gardener and the vine are needed to produce the kind of fruit that is worthy of beautiful wine. The gardener gives the vine what it needs to flourish, and the vine does the work to produce the fruit.
However, lest we imagine flourishing as always having enough water and not having to suffer, we must remember the best wine is made from grapes that come from vines that struggle.
Some of the most sustainable vineyards are “dry farmed” which means once they are about three years old, the vines get no water from an irrigation system. The gardener uses irrigation to get the vines started but slowly weans the vines off the irrigation. This lack of water forces the vine to grow deeper roots as it struggles to find water. Dry-farmed vines can have root systems that go down 30-40 feet, about the height of a 3-story building!
If a gardener waters the vine too much, the vine will not grow the deep roots but will grow more shallow roots, leaving the vine vulnerable to drought. Too much water, and the vine will produce “flabby” grapes with too much juice but not much flavor. Wine is best made from grapes that have more concentrated flavors, which mostly comes from the struggle to find water.
Good wine embodies the story of struggle.
Reflection and Meditation
If Jesus is the true vine and the Father is the Gardener, their wills are in alignment toward good fruit that produces incredible wine. Just as the vine struggles to find water, Jesus had to choose to obey. The struggle of obedience led him to the cross, the grave, and the resurrection. The fruit of his obedience brought forth new wine… a new kingdom… a new way of being in community as the Church. His obedience unleashed the Holy Spirit, and those who obey, who stay attached to the vine, will remain in the love of Jesus forever, just as Jesus remains in the love of the Father.
Take a moment to ponder what it might mean to joyfully struggle in your obedience to the Father’s commands.
Can you feel your soul align with his will for you to bear fruit?
Pause and feel the anticipation and the joy of the Father over the fruit you will bear. Notice his smile. You are loved.
What will you do to obey the Father’s commands today? How will you go deeper? Perhaps it will be a struggle.
Give your struggle to Jesus who has shown us how to trust and obey amid the struggle. Let him carry your struggle to the cross.
Inhale. Exhale. Obey. Remain in the Father’s love.
“God takes full responsibility for the consequences of our obedience. ”