Christ's Love and Friends

This week as I read the scriptures, a few verses in John 15 in the New Testament stood out to me.

"7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

I love these verses. They just feel so warm and full of love to me. Something that I think is especially significant is the fact that He is speaking these words to His apostles--His friends, those who have stood by Him and those whom He has taught and those with which He would be entrusting the kingdom of God--shortly before He suffered the Atonement and was betrayed and crucified. What beautiful words to give hope to a group of men who likely were a bit confused, unaware, or afraid.

Verse 7 stood out to me because even though the scriptures frequently make a promise that if we ask we will receive, I really felt int my heart a hope that this was real and true. God is good, and surely He will answer our questions and prayers. He will give us the answers necessary to continue on this mortal journey and accomplish the work that He has called us to do. He promised this to His disciples, and I know that He makes and will keep this promise to me, too.

Throughout these verses, Christ mentions some concepts such as "keeping commandments," "love," and "abiding." I have often wondered how Christ can be "with" us as many prophets and other people have testified He is. I believe that Christ can walk with us and be with us, but I still don't fully understand how. I love in verse 7 how He says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you..." While this is not the only way to feel close to Him, I believe that as we learn of Christ and feel of His love in the scriptures, we will feel that He (and God's Spirit) are abiding with us--influencing our thoughts, actions, desires, faith, and feelings of self-worth. As we learn more of Him and His example, we will be more desirous to keep the Father's commandments as is mentioned in verse 10. This will only increase our feelings of closeness to Christ as well as our JOY (verse 11).

Finally, I love the love that I feel from Christ in verse 13 and 14. I know that Christ died and lived for each of us, because He loved us and He loved the Father. He knew who He was and what role He had agreed to play, and He "abide[d] in [the Father's] love," (verse 10). He obeyed His Father perfectly, and I believe that that obedience brought Him joy.

He laid down His life for us, for His friends, for whoever would accept what He did for them.

He laid down His life for me and for YOU.

That is powerful.

And how can you repay Him?

You can't.

But you can show your gratitude to Him by being His friend, by "doing whatsoever I command you," (verse 14).

This week, I have felt the Savior's power in my life as I have done as He asked and partaken of the Sacrament, the bread and water in remembrance of His sacrifice. I have felt His strength to make teeny improvements in my life that will allow me to live more in line with my Father's will.

Christ can transform us, little by little, because He lived His life for the Father and gave His life for us, His friends.

You can change.

I can change.

Because of Christ, we can change.

And for that, I am so grateful.

Love you all!

Abby