Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 18, 2024
Ephesians 3:14-17
14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.
Good Morning! God offers a full measure of love to all who believe!
Love! Love is a word that is sometimes tossed about recklessly. Love can be defined many ways: a deep feeling of affection or a quality or feeling of strong or constant affection for and dedication to another. These are good words, but do we always mean them when we profess love for someone or something.
Within our human level of knowledge, love can and should be affection for others. We can distinguish love between a love of self, a spouse/partner, family, and to love everyone. Each of these plays an important role within our understanding of love. I believe that full unconditional love is not bound by earthly measuring tools.
God’s love for us goes beyond our understanding and knowledge. We must dive into another dimension, breadth, to try to understand. The breadth of Christ's love refers to its vast scope - it extends to people of every nation, tribe and tongue. Christ’s love is beyond our human understanding and immeasurable by the breadth of those Christ has redeemed.
To love unconditionally like Christ is a quality for which we can strive, but maybe it is only attainable when we join with our heavenly father.
The Good News is through the death and resurrection of Christ, God offers us unconditional love and asks only that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love others as ourselves. Jesus said, “Love one another, my little children.”
Faithful God, Thank you for creating us. We are your children. We try to love one another but get distracted by earthly values. Thank you for love us no matter what. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: When everything else is taken away, love remains.
LOVE is the answer! Pastor Liz
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