Living the Dream!

Daily Reading: Jude 1

Scripture Focus: To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. (Jude 1.1b-2)

Devotional Thought: The book of Jude has but one chapter, and it is mostly about false teachers. It can be a bit discouraging, but the salutation is very uplifting! It tells us we are "living the dream."

Who we are...

Called - Life can be very lonely. A call goes a long way in lifting someone's spirit. God doesn't leave us wondering if there's anybody who knows we exist. He sent his Son to be our Savior and his Spirit to be our Companion. He calls us!

Beloved - I love to watch my children with their children. Even when things aren't convenient or easy, I see how they love those babies. God loves us even when it's not easy. He loved us when it was the hardest thing in the world to do!

Kept - On September 2, 1978, I asked Lana to be my bride. It was in June of 1979, that we were married. But, in those intervening months, we kept ourselves for each other. In the same way, we are espoused to Jesus and there is a great wedding day coming!

What we're given...

Mercy - Not getting something we deserve - the sentence of our sin. That is multiplied daily in our lives!

Peace - Getting something we don't deserve - the assurance of knowing that it is well with our souls!

Love - The greatest gift of all! And, this from the One whose love is infinite and eternal!

May these things be multiplied in you!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for calling me, loving me, and keeping me. Thank you for forgiving my sins, for giving me peace, and for loving me unconditionally. Help me, O Lord, to multiply these things to others. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 107.1-3

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

3 and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.