Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
January 29, 2024
1 John 3:11-18
11 This is the message that you heard from the beginning: love each other. 12 Don’t behave like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he kill him? He killed him because his own works were evil, but the works of his brother were righteous. 13 Don’t be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have transferred from death to life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The person who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that murderers don’t have eternal life residing in them. 16 This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help—how can the love of God dwell in a person like that? 18 Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth.
Good Morning! Love one another!
Let us love one another with action and truth! We must do more than talk about how we will help the needy and support the outcasts. Jesus gave his life to save all who call upon his name. Yet, we struggle to step outside to proclaim our beliefs. We worry about what others will think if we spend time with those who don’t look, act, or sound like us.
Jesus walked among the outcasts, ate with sinners, and mingled with the lepers. True love is when we put aside those things that separate and divide us and focus on what we have in common. We are all children of God! None of us are worthy to make this claim, but God calls us to come anyway. Jesus paid the price so we would all be welcome at the heavenly banquet table.
It’s not enough to talk the talk; we must walk the walk. Christ made all feel welcome and served the least of these with a cheerful heart. In the eyes of the secular, me-first world, we, too, are outcasts. Thank you, God, for sending your son to gather us.
Gracious God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. Thank you for seeing the good in all you create. We thank you! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God can lead us to recognize the good in others.
My little children love one another! Pastor Liz