God's Abiding Love

Read: I John 4: 8-12

“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)

Did you ever notice that even with just two commandments, we have a hard time keeping either one of them? The Bible teaches us that since God’s love abides in us, His love has been perfected in us. God forgave us and loved us while we were still sinners, and He gave us His example to follow.

After salvation, His love abides within us. We can more readily keep these two commandments. It is possible for us to love God and our neighbor, as well as our self. Even if my carnal nature gets in the way of my obedience to these commands, Agape’s love within me will do the job much better than I could ever imagine. As I put my feelings and prejudices aside, Christ will love even the most indigent of humans through my feeble actions.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, let us pour out Your love to those in our family, neighborhood, workplace, community and church. You loved us without conditions and undeservedly. Help us to allow You to share Your love through us without restraint! 

Thought for the Day:

God’s love in us is the anchor for a world adrift in the sea of suffering.

Greater Love

Read: Isaiah 41:17-20

“For God has said, ‘I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.’”  - Heb 13:5 (TLB)

I read the other day that when the Bible speaks of love, it means a love that endures long and continually. This made me realize that God always thinks the best of us, wants the best for us and rejoices when good things happen to us. He is patient with us and defends us when others come against us. He believes in us and wants us to trust Him in all things, because He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Then I realized that God not only loves, but He IS love. Since God lives in us, His love does too. This powerful love gives us a loving character, helps us not to demand our own way, teaches us to give and to forgive, helps us to show His love instead of our own prejudices and teaches us not to speak negatively to or about anyone else.

Prayer:

Lord, rid me of my prejudices so that I can love everyone without hesitation. But also, Lord, help me to remember that I am a person too, and that I need to love myself as well. Amen.

Thought For The Day:

When Jesus stretched open His arms and died for us all, God gave us an example of how true love performs.