Reminder to Love

Daily Reading: 2 John & 3 John

Scripture Focus: And now I ask you, dear lady – not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning – that we love one another. (2 John 1.5)

Devotional Thought: In 2 John, John is writing a personal note intended to be read aloud to the congregation of the local church. In this letter, he reminds them that we should love one another. He says he is telling them this not as a new commandment, but as a reiteration of the commandment given by Jesus. I’m glad I’m not the only one who needs regular reminders of Jesus’ commandments!

We are approaching "the holiday season" of Thanksgiving and Christmas. As odd as it may seem at first, love can be hard to remember during this time of year. Love for the lady who elbowed you out of the way to get to her Black Friday sale item, love for the people who demand public nativity scenes be torn down and love for those friends and family members who are best taken in small doses.

Even though the command to love one another is so well known among us, let us continually take the time to again remember to love as Jesus loved. We should pray for God to give us opportunities during this season to show love for others and then be careful listeners for the Spirit’s urging when opportunities do arise. We need to be courageous to step out of our comfort zone and perhaps become a little uncomfortable as we show love to others. Acts of love, no matter how small they may seem to us, can mean so much more to the recipients. Be amazed at what God can do with a small act of love for both you and the person to whom it is shown.

Eric Powell

Prayer: Father, thank you that you loved me so much that you gave your one and only Son for me. Give me, I pray, opportunities to show that kind of self-giving love to others this season. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud. (Psalms 123:1-4)