Prayer: O God, teach us more about your love for us and how we can share this love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
What is love?
(Adapted from Christ in Our Home – daily devotions)
18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 19 And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
“Talk is cheap,” words you have heard many times before, but consider that actions speak louder than words. We can talk about love a lot, but talking about it and actually loving by deeds are two different things.
So what is real love? Feelings? Extravagant gifts? Showing agreement? Hiding or avoiding anger and conflict? No! Love is like laying down one’s life for others! We know because this is what Jesus did and what He taught us. It was this “self-giving” of helping and giving hope that was evident from Jesus’ life, and by His sacrifice of life by going to the cross. It is kind of like getting out of the pew and doing something that helps others. Giving money is easy, but giving your time and talents interrupts your schedule.
It is not that we are encouraged to give all of our energy and compassion until we have no more to give, but it is sharing the love that God has given us in abundance to share with others in what we do and in our actions. Share the joy!
Our devotion writer declares,” ‘God is greater than our hearts,’ 1 John tells us. We abide in Jesus, and Jesus in us, which is how we acquire the strength to be bold in love toward others and before God. The love we share is not of our own making; it is an overflow of the love we receive through Christ by the Holy Spirit.”
Prayer: “God of love, make us fountains of grace, pouring out what you first poured into us through Christ. Amen.”
1 John 3:16-24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 19 And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.
Gary's Devotion Comments 