Love Me. Keep My Commandments.
By Kris Judd of Kansas City, MO, USA
They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them. -John 14:21 NRSV
All of my life I’ve been a “fixer” of broken people and things. From an early age, I worked to resolve problems for people, give them advice, make right what was wrong, and fix them even without their permission. This wish to “fix” led me to a career in psychology as well as ministry, though I was not aware of my underlying agenda at the time. I just knew I wanted to serve people in whatever way I could.
As I began my training to become a spiritual director, my agenda for fixing required intervention. After all, “direction” sounds, well, directive, but that term is so misleading for what happens in direction. Spiritual direction is more about witnessing and strengthening the one listened to-it is to notice, experience, and savor the myriad directions from which the Spirit is at work in their lives. In The Voice, John 14: 21 reads, “My Father loves everyone who loves Me; and I will love you and reveal My heart, will, and nature to you.” There is no fixing to be done, for no thing or no one is broken.
God yearns for us to know more fully God’s ways, wishes, and dreams for us, and will use any means available to make that known. Spiritual direction is one of those ways, as are both ancient and more modern spiritual practices. The agenda isn’t to fix something that is broken, but to know and remain in that love which lives with us and in us. And incarnating God’s love leads us to do what we are commanded to do-love God, others, ourselves, and all of creation.
Prayer Phrase
Spirit, now live in me.
Spiritual Practice
Breathe deeply and enter a few minutes of silence. Be attentive to where you sense new life emerging in you. Search your memories of the previous day. When did you notice the sacredness of life in surprising places or forms in the world around you?
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
