In the latter part of the parable of the vine and the branches in John 15, verses 9 to 17, the core of what the Lord said was: “Remain in my love.” This love was the same deep love with which the Father loved the Son. But regarding how we can remain in such love, He said, “Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remained in His love, you also can remain in my love if you keep my commandments.” He then went on to say that this commandment is: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
To love as Jesus loved us? How could I possibly love like that? Yet He gave astonishing promises about what would happen when we practise this kind of love. He said that we would become friends of Jesus, able to hear everything the Father has said to the Son; that we would live lives that continually bear fruit; that whatever we ask would be answered; and that the joy Jesus has would overflow within us.
Seen this way, it is not enough simply to be “good.” We must become people whose character practises love like God’s love. Only then do we become co-workers with God, and live a life that bears remarkable fruit through His presence and power.
Therefore, the essence of all God’s refining process is the cultivation of God’s character in us. And that character can be described as the mercy and love that gave even His only Son for us, though we were sinners. Looking back, the core purpose of all my conflicts, struggles, and heartache has been to form in me a character that loves people as He does. Even now, I am still undergoing that discipline.
In 2 Samuel 1, David hears the news of Saul and Jonathan’s deaths and, in grief, composes a lament. It is understandable that he would do this for Jonathan. But could he truly grieve so deeply for Saul, who spent his life pursuing him to kill him, placing Saul on the same level as Jonathan, even composing a song and teaching it to the people? David showed a kind of love so incomprehensible that one might even question his sincerity.
Around the time David had been formed into a person capable of practising this kind of love, his season of refinement came to an end, and the era in which he became king of Israel began. To serve the Lord and to live a life that bears much fruit is ultimately connected to how closely my character resembles the character of God.
“Lord, I see that my character is still lacking. I want to resemble the character of Your love. You have already given me the Holy Spirit, who helps me become such a person. Lead me to depend on Him more, to receive well the discipline and correction that lead to righteousness, and to become someone who can love people as You do.”
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3–4)
