Love! Love! Love! D04112021

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CASNFCI SCRIPTURE & PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Love! Love! Love!

We love because he first loved us. — 1 John 4:19

John speaks directly to the heart of love as he writes, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” Loving is not an intellectual, optional concept. It originates with God, and we pass along God’s love in our relationships with others.

Lewis Smedes put it this way in his book Love Within Limits: “God’s love song is in many ways like other great love songs…. Our challenge is to find ways to bring the heavenly rhapsody down into our worldly realities.” How true and how difficult. Only Jesus lived out perfectly the demands of perfect love, and he fulfills the work of redemption.

Living with one another can be discouraging and messy. Yes! People can be so difficult and hurting. We live with family, friends, and neighbors who often seem determined to test even our desire to love. But God didn’t command us to like one another. Jesus, after stating that the greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God . . .” reminded everyone that the second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:37-39.

That is not an optional command. Jesus also described it as a new command and gave the reason for us to obey it: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus expects us to obey his commands. And he promises he will help us.

Let our love counts.

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for always loving us & being our example of patience and perseverance. Help us seek to love others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rev. Isaac G. Y Bangalu Founder & CE

Couples & Singles Network for Christ Initiative

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Thank You.