21DOP: Day 13
Day 13: How does love fit into my faith foundation?
Even before we began a relationship with Christ, we knew how to love. Many people in our lives are easy to love. But sometimes, certain people are simply hard to love. And sometimes, it’s even hard to love ourselves! What kind of love does Jesus want us to model to the world? Jesus’ own words can offer us a glimpse: In John 13:34, Jesus had just finished humbling Himself by washing the feet of his disciples. He says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Mark 12:30: “Love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and “love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus’ description of love is a sacrificial love; an emotion that requires action and intentionality!
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 expands the above definition of love: “Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Wow, there sure are a lot of boxes to check when it comes to evaluating the love aspect of our spiritual foundation!
Which boxes can you check? Which aspects can you work on nurturing?
Prayer: “Dear Lord, show me where I am falling short in my ability to love others. Help me to cultivate a genuine love for others, so that I can love others as you have loved me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Even before we began a relationship with Christ, we knew how to love. Many people in our lives are easy to love. But sometimes, certain people are simply hard to love. And sometimes, it’s even hard to love ourselves! What kind of love does Jesus want us to model to the world? Jesus’ own words can offer us a glimpse: In John 13:34, Jesus had just finished humbling Himself by washing the feet of his disciples. He says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Mark 12:30: “Love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and “love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus’ description of love is a sacrificial love; an emotion that requires action and intentionality!
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 expands the above definition of love: “Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Wow, there sure are a lot of boxes to check when it comes to evaluating the love aspect of our spiritual foundation!
Which boxes can you check? Which aspects can you work on nurturing?
Prayer: “Dear Lord, show me where I am falling short in my ability to love others. Help me to cultivate a genuine love for others, so that I can love others as you have loved me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
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