Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Being Loved”.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
Enough said. Right?
When someone sets the standard high, it seems impossible to reach.
That’s not the point.
The standard is set high to show the extent to which love will go to express itself.
To the point of giving up one’s life for another.
Why would anybody sacrifice like this for another person? Love IS the only answer, right?
What leads a soldier to put their life on the line in a combat mission? Love for the country and people they serve.
What would lead a police officer to put their life on the line to apprehend a shooter at a school? Love for the kids of the community they are called to protect.
What would lead a mother or father to give up their life to save the life of their child? Love.
Love is the only thing that would sacrifice in this way. Pride doesn’t. Selfishness doesn’t. Even emotional love doesn’t. Only “agape”, sacrificial, committed love will.
Just like Jesus did.
The only way we can love to this extent is to be first loved by God. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). This is simple when we take a moment to help a neighbor or take a meal to a sick friend. This may be easy to mimic when we take time to listen to someone who is troubled, or go out of our way to help a person in need. Certainly this is a reflection of Christ’s love.
But it gets real when we are willing to give up our lives for another. Only a reflection of Jesus’ life he gave up for us would enable us to do this.
We didn’t deserve Jesus’ sacrifice. We didn’t earn it. We probably would think twice if we were called to give up our lives for ourselves.
But Jesus didn’t. He showed the full extent of his love, not just by washing his disciple’s feet, but by giving up his life on the cross to wash away his disciples’ sins…every one of them.
Because that’s what love does…for you.
Apply: What makes it easy or hard to think about giving up your life for a friend?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for the greatest expression and gift of love anyone could receive…your death on the cross. AMEN.
Listen to the full message link above to hear how love obeys, honors and expands…put all these terms together and you get MOTHERS. Mom’s, thanks for reflecting Jesus’ love.
Love…
Models
Obeys
Teaches
Honors
Expands
Remains
Sacrifices