Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Living the Mission of God’s Love

Bible Reading: 1 John 4:7-21

Key verse: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16)

DEVOTION

The theme that we meditate on brings forth the reminder of mission, and one thing we need to bring to our mind when it comes to mission is that the foundation of mission is love.  Mission belongs to God, and we are the agents of living the lifestyle that is mission oriented in the world God has placed us.  That means that our existence, in our breathing, speaking, eating and sharing, it should emulate God’s love through us.

The main things to remember through this passage is: God is love, God loved us first, and when we abide in God, we abide in love.  By remembering these things, it calls us to recall that it is God that gives us the willingness to love.  Our human tendencies will only fail our mission through our selfish ambitions, desires of the flesh and us tending to consider ourselves over others.  It is by abiding in God and having a persistent relationship with Him, we are conditioning our spiritual life to guide our lifestyle to share love to the world around us, not just verbally, but also being a testimony of love.

Remember, John says God is love, not love is God.  Love is not a feeling.  This is very important for us to remember, the media and the secular world around us falsely teaches us a distorted view of love.  Feelings are temporary and unreliable.  When we remember God is love, we should also remember that God is reliable.  Therefore, the love that we share, no matter what we may ‘feel’, should be reliable.  The love God has for us should be the source of all human love, and it should spread like a flame and warm the world around us.
Loving God, send me into this day with a willing heart, simple trust, and compassionate hands, that through my life Your love may be revealed to all. Amen.


PRAYER

Heavenly Father, guide me to draw closer to You, and abide in Your love so that I can justly share Your love to those around me.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“By the cross we know the gravity of sin and the greatness of God’s love toward us.” -John Chrysostom

Rev. Jess M. George
Vicar, Redeemer Mar Thoma Church, Zion Mar Thoma Congregation
Youth Chaplain, St. Peter’s Mar Thoma Church

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