Do you know? What does this mean for you? Is this knowledge alive and active in your life…daily? Does it direct your thoughts and actions… especially how you treat other people? The rest of that sentence is: “for the Bible tells me so.” Yes? Again, do you believe it? Is the Bible, the Word of God, alive and active in your daily life? How do you know? What’s your evidence?
This simple song, taught to most young people, is quite profound. Look at the words: Jesus loves me this I KNOW for the BIBLE tells me so. Do you know that He loves you. You may have accepted Him as your Lord, you may be involved in various activities related to this acceptance … but do you know He loves you? Do you have a vital, intimate relationship with Him? I believe that it’s this that underscores our knowing – our relationship.
So, what kind of relationship do you have? Do you want? You may know that He’s with you every day without acknowledging that He knows what you’re doing, how you’re going about it, what you say, how you say it. A kind of ‘if I don’t think about it then it isn’t really real in my life’. As if that will deny some of our bad behavior and words. It doesn’t. The point is that He loves you anyway. But until you activate 1 John 1:9 in your life, you’ve put a barrier between you and the Lord. Your relationship is tarnished… but because of that verse, you know what to do to be cleansed and reestablish the vital connection.
There is no place, no verse in scripture that tells us that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit want only a distanced relationship. They don’t want to be sought after only in crisis situations, to be pulled out like a talisman. Remember Jesus’ words: “I’ve come to bring life, and life abundantly.” (John 10:10). How can this happen apart from relationship? It can’t, especially when you remember John 15:4-10 (emphases mine)
“Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” (AMP)
These verses are unmistakable – they talk about relationship, opportunities, love, responsibilities. My points, understandings:
1.The verse starts with ‘Remain’ so obviously we start there. Remain is defined in terms of what exists – it doesn’t tell us we have to find it, we’re there! And it tells us precisely where we are to remain.
2. Reason: bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith – this is how we know, when we see our fruit. And it is much fruit.
3. We also understand another evidence – if His words remain in us then we know we are united. We prove we are disciples.
4. Verses 9-10 restate the love – do not doubt My love for you. IF we keep His commandments and obey His teachings you WILL remain in His love. (And never forget 1 John 1:9 that returns us to His love.)
It’s always shoutin’ time when we not only know, realize, but accept that Jesus loves me!
