The Power of Love - Friday February 14, 2014
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 NIV
Recently I came upon a list on the internet of 1,189 songs with love in the title. They ranged from "She Loves You (Yeah Yeah Yeah)" to "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."
But I got a much more accurate picture of true love while reading in the Gospel of John. The very first thing that John wrote about his account of the Last Supper was: "He now showed them the full extent of his love" (John 13:1 NIV). I was touched by the realization that right before Jesus went to the cross, He spent His time washing the disciples' feet, praying for them, and speaking words of encouragement to them. I thought about all the specific ways He shows the full extent of His love to me in my daily life. He never withholds His mercy and goodness, even when I put so many other things ahead of Him in my life. He keeps no record of my wrongs. His presence is with me moment by moment to help me face whatever comes my way. He gives me direction and instruction through His Word. He surprises me with joy in all the little blessings He brings my way just to delight me. None of these things change, even when I am at my most unlovable.
As I meditate on these things, first of all I am overwhelmed with gratitude by the lavishness of Jesus' love. Second, I am challenged to show even a measure of that kind of unconditional love to people in my life. We are told in 1 John 4:19 that "we love, because He first loved us." Spend time today reflecting on the full extent of His love that is poured out on you daily.
Submitted by:
Kelly Lewis
Gracepoint Community Church
Lewis Center, Ohio
One-Year Reading Plan:
Exodus 37:1-38:31
Matthew 28:1-20
Psalms 34:11-22
Proverbs 9:9-10
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.