Day 18: Obedience from Abiding

Let’s take a moment today to be with God. If you want to do this as a family, we encourage you to set aside time after your own quiet time to go through the family content at the bottom together.

PAUSE

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”—John 15:10–14 (NIV)

When you think about the word abide, what comes to mind? It evokes the idea of making a place feel like home—becoming comfortable, establishing roots, and opening up to deeper relationships. In John 15, Jesus invites everyone into this kind of close relationship with Him, calling them to abide in Him as He abides in the Father.

Jesus uses the example of the vine and the branches, illustrating that we can only bear fruit when we remain rooted in Him. The relationship between abiding and obedience is key: As we stay rooted in Jesus, our obedience to His commands naturally flows from that relationship. The kind of obedience Jesus asks for is one that’s sacrificial and mirrors His love for us. When we choose to abide in Him, His sacrificial love fills us and overflows in our lives.

PONDER

Are you intentionally abiding in Christ every day? Reflect on what this would look like for you throughout your daily life. Jesus is present in every moment, not just in our quiet time with Him. How can you invite Jesus into the ordinary moments of your day?

PRAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting me into such a close relationship with You. I’m grateful for Your love that enables me to live in obedience to You. I pray You’d deepen my roots in You, help me understand more of Your love, and transform me to reflect Your sacrificial love to others. May I abide in You today and allow Your love to overflow in all I do. Amen.

For Your Family

PAUSE

Read John 15:10–14 out loud with your kids. Whether you go on a walk, talk in the car, discuss at dinner, or gather before bed, choose a time in your day to discuss and pray together.

PONDER

Share the main idea with them.

• Staying in God’s love will help us love other people with joy.

Ask them:

• How do you think you can love others with God’s love in you?

PRAY

Guide your children to pray using these prayer points.

• Thank Jesus for laying down His life out of His great love for us.
• Ask God to show you how to love others better.
• Pray for you and your family to stay in God’s love every day.

Pray this over your children:

Heavenly Father, thank You for dying on the cross to save my kids (name them). Thank You for being their closest friend. I pray they’ll experience and understand Your love more every day. Help us to live in Your love as family. Amen.