DAILY DEVOTION

11/20/2020

Can We Decide to Love?

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:36-40

Scripture Quote: “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." Mark 12:33 (NIV)

When Jesus explained the Father’s greatest command, He told His truth plainly. As Christians, we know what sinful behavior looks and feels like. We try to live within limits that sometimes don't translate into success, but we press on. We take special care to stay on the narrow path, as we struggle internally with all kinds of flaws. We are weak and vulnerable believers, all the while trying to emulate Jesus - That would be great, if it weren't so laughable.

Does all that struggle have value when we so often seem to skip over God's most imperative dictate to love Him and other people as our primary goal? Jesus wasn’t referring to romantic love, which comes easily to us. Instead, God wants us to make love a decision, without payback and without reservation. His people, who are selfish, independent, judgmental, carnivores by nature, have been given this mandate to simply love - We are to love God above all else and one another as much as we do ourselves. We can choose to love even the unlovable, because God first loved us. Thank God His mercies are new every morning!

Today’s meditation: Press forward emulating Jesus’ love for everyone.

Memory Verse: “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14 (NIV)

0 Comments

Author

Bio: Toni Smothers has written articles for “Total Health”, “Let’s Live”, “People In Action” and “The North American Mentor” magazines. She is a member of the Faithwriters.com writing community and was previously the editor for the teen section of their on-line magazine. She has written many programs, sermons, and skits and has edited several websites. Additionally, she has answered hundreds of questions for GotQuestions.org, a biblical resource site. Here is just one of their many testimonials: "Thank you for this insightful website! I was able to look up many questions I have asked over the years since becoming saved. The site is easy to navigate and gave me so much biblical background for answers that I feel my armor has been strengthened. You and your staff be encouraged to continue to speak the truth for God's glory." When Toni is not writing, she can usually be found cuddling with her 10 pound, furry, Morky muse, 'Sweet Pea.' Toni Smothers studied homeopathy extensively and became a proficient layman. She wrote about homeopathy for “Total Health” and “Let’s Live” magazines. Smothers describes her experience befriending a refugee family from Laos in her article published in the travel magazine, “People in Action.” Additionally, “American Mentor” magazine has published some of her poetry. Smothers drew upon her fun experiences as a youth pastor to provide the needed insight to function as the editor of the teen section of “Faithwriters” magazine and she is a member of the Faithwriters.com writer’s community.

DAILY DEVOTION

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories