John 15:12-17 AMP
This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.
Isn’t it great to read that Christ has a plan for us? “I have appointed and place and purposefully planted you…” What a powerful phrase! In John 15:2, we read that He takes away the branches that do not bear fruit. When we get to this section of the chapter, though, we can see that we are placed where we are, as who we are, so that we can be successful in “bearing fruit.” Sometimes life’s seasons make it easy to focus on our cares or problems, but when we learn to fully trust in God’s infinite wisdom, we can truly cast those cares on Him and focus on being exactly who He wants us to be. The other stuff will be taken care of. Yes, we will have to take action. We don’t just wish our problems away, but when we focus FIRST on Him & what He wants from and for us, He will lead us to the next right step. And, His ways are certainly above ours!
Bethany
Journey Into Freedom 