Tag Archives: showing god’s love

November 21, 2023 · 5:43 AM

Showing God’s Goodness

In the days of the Early Church there were a couple of global plagues that went through the Roman Empire. The second one came around the year 251. Historical records from the time shared how hopeless it was when someone got it. Family members and friends were so scared too the death sentence that the plague brought, that when someone got their first symptoms, they set them in the street. They didn’t know how to treat them, nor did they try, so they simply abandoned them. However, Christians began to care for the sick despite the risk. Their act of kindness not only reduced the mortality rate by nearly two thirds, it also showed others the goodness of God. Many converted to Christianity because of their kindness and charity..

In 2 Kings 6, an army was attacking Israel. However, every time they planned an attack, israel was one step ahead of them. After trying several times, the attacking king thought there was a spy among his troops. Someone told him how the prophet Elisha was giving away their plans, so he decided to attack Elisha with his entire army. Elisha didn’t flinch though when he woke up to being surrounded. In fact, he struck them with blindness and then led them to a nearby city where the Israeli army was. When their eyes were opened, they were surrounded with no escape. However, instead of killing them, the Israelites showed them mercy by feeding them and sending them home. They no longer tried to attack Israel after that.

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (NLT). You and I are God’s chosen people in the world today. We are called to show others God’s goodness so they can know Him. Our first instinct shouldn’t be to abandon people in need or who are against us. We are to be known by our love as God’s royal priests. Who around you feels hopeless and abandoned by everyone? What can you do to show them the goodness of God. Who knows whether or not He put them in your life or in your path so that you could be the one to reach them.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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October 5, 2022 · 5:53 AM

Expressing God’s Love

One of the best books at helping me understand myself and others is “The Five Love Languages “ by Dr. Gary Chapman. We all need love, but there’s a difference in how each of us give it and receive it. What speaks love to me I may not be the same thing that speaks love to you. Some of us need to hear words of affirmation to know we are loved. Some of us need to get gifts to know someone is thinking about us. Some must have quality time with the other person to have their love tank filled, while others feel loved when someone does acts of service for them. Finally, some people need a physical touch like holding hands or an embrace to feel loved. Knowing these five things helps us in our interactions and in ministering to people.

Since I was in my earliest Sunday School class, I have heard the story of Jesus and the little children. The disciples didn’t want Jesus to be bothered by these little, snot nosed rug rats. Jesus noticed they were being held back and told them to let the children go to Him. I knew He blessed them, and I’ve seen drawings of them all around Him with Him patting them on the head, but there was something I had never noticed in that story until recently. Mark 10:16 says, “Then he embraced each child, and laying his hands on them, he lovingly blessed each one” (TPT). I had never noticed that He embraced each child.

When winning the lost, you and I can’t pick and choose who gets to see Jesus. We aren’t His gatekeepers. We must also embrace them. Each person you meet is broken and in need of love. Some need words of encouragement, some may need a meal or a cup of coffee. Others may need you to sit down and listen to their story while others may need you to mow their yard. Some may need you to simply embrace them because they feel unlovable. We must remember that God is love and people’s greatest need is to know that love. As the hands and feet of Jesus, we must express that love in a way that they will receive it. Outreach is simply reaching out with God’s love in a way that someone will feel it and receive it. Look for ways to express His love today.

Photo by HARSH KUSHWAHA:

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April 2, 2020 · 5:30 AM

Leading With Love

We’ve all heard the saying that actions speak louder than words. We can probably all think of someone who is all talk and no action too. We have very little confidence in people who rarely do what they say. You never know when to believe them. I’ve had friends, coworkers and acquaintances who are like this. It’s no fun to be associated with them because it creates a lack of trust in you as a person. I don’t ever want to be known as a person like that. I want to be known as a person who does what they say or can at least own up to it when I can’t deliver on what I promised.

As Christians, we need to be concerned about our reputation because we don’t just carry our name with us. We also bear the name of Jesus Christ. It’s not just our reputation we’re tarnishing, it’s His. Knowing that, our lives should reflect the work He’s done and is doing in our lives. The love He’s shown us should be something we give out each day. 1 John 3:18 says, “My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality“ (MSG).

A life lead by love is one that doesn’t just talk about loving others, it does it. It shows up in the smallest ways throughout our day. Too many times we try to think of doing great things to the point that it keeps us from doing anything. I love the quote by Mother Teresa that says, “We can’t all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” If you and I will focus on doing small things today, showing God’s great love, we will make a difference in the lives of others. Doing great things isn’t what makes the difference in life. It’s doing the small things consistently. Today, look for something small you can do with great love, and bless someone.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other writing ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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August 22, 2018 · 5:57 AM

Leading With Love

We’ve all heard the saying that actions speak louder than words. We can probably all think of someone who is all talk and no action too. We have very little confidence in people who rarely do what they say. You never know when to believe them. I’ve had friends, coworkers and acquaintances who are like this. It’s no fun to be associated with them because it creates a lack of trust in you as a person. I don’t ever want to be known as a person like that. I want to be known as a person who does what they say or can at least own up to it when I can’t deliver on what I promised.

As Christians, we need to be concerned about our reputation because we don’t just carry our name with us. We also bear the name of Jesus Christ. It’s not just our reputation we’re tarnishing, it’s His. Knowing that, our lives should reflect the work He’s done and is doing in our lives. The love He’s shown us should be something we give out each day. 1 John 3:18 says, “My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality“ (MSG).

A life lead by love is one that doesn’t just talk about loving others, it does it. It shows up in the smallest ways throughout our day. Too many times we try to think of doing great things to the point that it keeps us from doing anything. I love the quote by Mother Teresa that says, “We can’t all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” If you and I will focus on doing small things today, showing God’s great love, we will make a difference in the lives of others. Doing great things isn’t what makes the difference in life. It’s doing the small things consistently. Today, look for something small you can do with great love, and bless someone.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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April 11, 2018 · 6:01 AM

Unselfish Love

To me, one of the scriptures taken out of context the most is 1 Corinthians 13, also known as “The Love Chapter”. It’s been used in nearly every Christian wedding, hung on the walls of our homes and quoted to people in Love about how they should love their spouse. The truth is that it has nothing to do with loving our spouse. It’s about loving people with God’s love that’s in us in order to point them to him. We can do all sorts of things for people that bring us glory, but if we don’t love them in a way that points to Him, it’s pointless.

The last verse in the chapter is probably the most recognized one, but I want to look at it in the Amplified version which adds context to the original meaning. It says, “And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.” I believe love, in this context, is the greatest because love of this sort offers God’s grace and makes us more like Him.

The first verse in the next chapter continues Paul’s thoughts on the matter. It says, “Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal].” That kind of love isn’t natural for most of us. It’s something we’re going to have to desire to have, and we’re going to have to pursue it. It’s going to require us to pray for it and to put it into practice in our lives until it becomes a part of who we are. To have unselfish love for others should be the goal of every one of us, especially since Jesus said we would be known for our love for one another.

Today, think about what that love likes like coming from you. What can you do to show someone God’s love? It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture that goes viral on social media. It can be a simple word of encouragement, a prayer for a friend in need, a purchased cup of coffee for the person in line behind you, a warm meal for a homeless person, or a call to someone feeling lonely. These unselfish acts of love don’t have to change the world, but if we do enough of them out of God’s love for us, it just might.

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

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March 21, 2018 · 6:18 AM

To Love God

In Matthew 9, Jesus was at the home of Matthew eating with some unsavory people. The top religious leaders saw him dining with them and asked, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” (NLT) They asked it loud enough that Jesus heard them, which meant that Matthew and his friends heard it too. Jesus said, “Heathy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.” Then he challenged them to go and find the meaning of the scripture that says, “I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin)” (AMP).

I figured if Jesus wanted them to find the meaning, He probably wanted us to find the meaning as well. The original passage is found in Hosea 6:6. It says, “I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know me than burn offerings to me” (GNB). The first thing God wants from any of us is an unconditional, constant love. A couple of verses back, He says that His children’s love vanishes as quickly as the morning dew. The kind of love that irritates God is the conditional kind that depends on what He does.

God loves you no matter what you do, and He expects the same. Jesus was upset with the Pharisees because they claimed to be the holy ones in Israel, but inside they were anything but holy. When His actions didn’t meet up with their expectations of the Messiah, their love and wonder waned. What Jesus was pointing out to them in the Scripture He sent them to was that they really didn’t know God, and He would rather they know Him instead of knowing what the Law said.

We have to be careful of the same trap they fell into. We cannot let our love for God depend on expectations we have of Him when we don’t fully know Him. God knows that the more we know Him, the more we love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will have a readiness to help those in spiritual danger. They are the ones who need our help the most. Jesus knew it, and He wanted us to know it too. The heart of God beats for the lost, and He’ll do what it takes to reach them, even if it doesn’t make sense to others. When we truly know Him, our heart will beat for the lost like His.

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