Daily Devotion - Love
God makes it crystal clear in His Word about the kind of love He wants us to have. Sometimes we may wish it weren’t so clear, because what is also clear is that we can’t express this kind of love on a consistent basis without His help.
In the Old Testament books of prophecy, the God of Israel used picture after stunning picture, story after story to somehow reach the wandering, rebellious hearts of His people.
What gets me with insecurity is that it is rooted in the belief that says, “I’m not good enough.” It is the complete opposite of how God sees us. We are His beautiful creation that He formed before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).
Don’t stress over living up to the fairytale. Your love story, no matter how simple or how elaborate, was designed by God. He perfected it. He wrote it. He even illustrated it and signed his name on your copy. He’s the author and the finisher.
God's presence is so powerfully wonderful. It brings us into a oneness with God that cannot be explained and barely fathomed. That's why the lyrics to this song can be so moving.
Perfect love will by its very nature overcome evil. For within Father’s heart dwells the divine ideal of love and sacrifice for which evil has no ability to withstand or even comprehend.
What a love story. The God of the universe, bent down from Heaven, leaned toward mankind, and expressed His love to a very disfigured people. He contorted Himself (so to speak) in order to manifest His vast love to a fallen generation. “For God so loved the World, that he gave His only begotten Son.”
I knew that God loved me from an intellectual standpoint. I knew that He would think well of me when I did right and would somehow tolerate me when I did wrong. But somehow I couldn't understand the unconditional love that the Bible says defines my Lord and Savior.
Maybe you feel like that lost coin, discarded and worthless. If so, you need to look up because God is searching diligently for you and longs for you to return to Him.
People will identify us as Christians, if our lives reflect our Father’s love. What does this love look like? It is resting in God’s peace during times of stress. It is forgiving our enemies and praying for them rather than seeking revenge or harboring anger.
God loves us. His body still bears the scars from His suffering so we would not die. He wants us to believe that and allow His love to change us. When I know God loves me that much I can never give up on myself.
Christ views us as His bride. He loves us enough to want to present us to God without a single, solitary blemish. He views our relationship to Himself as a marriage. Shouldn’t we do the same?
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