The Gift of Love
Ephesians 5:2 (NLT) Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
As I was pulling out my laptop to work on today’s devotional, the waitress at the diner I am working from came over to tell me that an older woman had already paid for my breakfast. When I went over to thank her for her kindness, I asked her what moved her to pay for my meal. She said that love from strangers is how the world will remember God, even in the darkest times. This brought tears to my eyes, and I realized once again how truly powerful love is and how important unexpected blessings really are – especially in today’s world. In that moment, I felt remembered by God and so loved by Jesus.
When we live a life fueled by and filled with love, we bring the power of Heaven to Earth. We serve as vessels for God and break through walls built out of hurt, fear, and anger. We take up the Cross and learn how to serve God in a way that is the most pleasing to Him. Just as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in loving us, it is now our turn to live in a way that continuously pays love forward.
Questions: How does love make you feel? How does receiving a surprise out of the kindness of someone’s heart open your own heart? How can you turn this season of your life into a season of giving? What is God asking you to sacrifice in the name of love?
Prayer: God, thank you for your unconditional outpouring of love. From the Cross to the provision and blessings I take for granted, I want to praise you because I know I am intimately loved by you. Jesus, thank you for offering up your life to pay for my sins and to set the perfect example of what true love looks like. Help me to be a vessel of love and to point the people I encounter each day to the Kingdom of God. In Jesus’ name, amen.
As I was pulling out my laptop to work on today’s devotional, the waitress at the diner I am working from came over to tell me that an older woman had already paid for my breakfast. When I went over to thank her for her kindness, I asked her what moved her to pay for my meal. She said that love from strangers is how the world will remember God, even in the darkest times. This brought tears to my eyes, and I realized once again how truly powerful love is and how important unexpected blessings really are – especially in today’s world. In that moment, I felt remembered by God and so loved by Jesus.
When we live a life fueled by and filled with love, we bring the power of Heaven to Earth. We serve as vessels for God and break through walls built out of hurt, fear, and anger. We take up the Cross and learn how to serve God in a way that is the most pleasing to Him. Just as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in loving us, it is now our turn to live in a way that continuously pays love forward.
Questions: How does love make you feel? How does receiving a surprise out of the kindness of someone’s heart open your own heart? How can you turn this season of your life into a season of giving? What is God asking you to sacrifice in the name of love?
Prayer: God, thank you for your unconditional outpouring of love. From the Cross to the provision and blessings I take for granted, I want to praise you because I know I am intimately loved by you. Jesus, thank you for offering up your life to pay for my sins and to set the perfect example of what true love looks like. Help me to be a vessel of love and to point the people I encounter each day to the Kingdom of God. In Jesus’ name, amen.