Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 2, 2024
Romans 8:12-17
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but it isn’t an obligation to ourselves to live our lives on the basis of selfishness. 13 If you live on the basis of selfishness, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the actions of the body, you will live. 14 All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. 15 You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. 17 But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.
Good Morning! May God’s glory be with you today!
God, our creator, unconditionally loves us. As humans, we struggle with this concept of unconditional love. We are raised in a society that teaches us to place conditions on most things, including love. One might ask, “What do I get if I . . . you?” You could insert almost any verb: love, help, or even hurt. In other words, “What’s in it for me?”
So, how do we learn love in a me-first world where we are taught the advantages of putting ourselves first? Forty-seven years ago, I became a mother. God gives us many opportunities to learn to love others as we travel along our faith journeys. When we become parents, God gives us a glimpse of loving unconditionally.
Unconditional love isn’t all fun and games. We cherish the hugs and snuggles with our young children, but there's also a profound joy in enduring tough love when we need our children to learn a valuable lesson. I never wanted to be the “mean” parent and watch my child suffer, but we must be able to allow them to work through problems. If we step in and fix everything for them, they will be weak and unable to stand when the more complicated, and they will come, challenges come. As we age, we face challenges that require great endurance, and in overcoming them, we grow stronger.
God, our creator, endured the crucifixion of his Son so that we might all be free. The final words of Christ written in the Gospels give us a glimpse of God’s unconditional love as Father and Son suffer together. God loves us and gives us time to grow strong so that we can return home when the time comes.
Dear Lord, We are your children! Thank you for the opportunity to become a parent. You bless us with good days and hard days. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Fill your mind with the word of God.
God loves us! Pastor Liz
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