'love' Tagged Posts (Page 15)
Daily Devotions
Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient.” vss. 7-8a James 5:7-8 Waiting for Christmas during Advent is not particularly difficult. Neighborhoods signal its nearness when the ladders come out and decorations go up. Even the smells around the household, cookies coming out of the oven and lefse hot off…
Daily Devotions
He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” vs. 17 Colossians 1:17-20 Early Christians came to believe that the Christ who had been made visible in Jesus of Nazareth was the incarnate Word of God, described in the prologue to John’s gospel. Through the Christ, present in the Beginning, all things had come into existence, and the writer of Colossians adds that, “in him all things hold together.” In other words, Christ is the…
Daily Devotions
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…” vs. 15 Colossians 1:11-16 There is a solution for those who despair of ever knowing God or of having a sense of God’s presence in daily living. And it’s easier that we might ever suspect. All we need to do is focus on Jesus, the man from Nazareth, and we will be connected to the invisible God through whom the universe came into existence. At least that’s…
Daily Devotions
The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.” vs. 2 Psalm 98:1-6 Tonight, millions of households will be anxiously awaiting the results of this midterm election, and in the midst of the elation and disappointment there will be some who say that the Lord has given victory to the winners. They will sing praises and give glory to God for this very visible triumph over the forces of evil. We…
Daily Devotions
But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” vss. 27-28 Luke 6:27-31 In the gospel of Matthew, following the beatitudes, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Luke’s version of the beatitudes is similar, but here Jesus’ instructions to the disciples describe more fully what it means to be…
Daily Devotions
And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” vss. 22-23 Ephesians 1:15-23 From the beginning, the church formed by the followers of Jesus has been understood to be the Body of Christ. We’ve grown accustomed to that designation and have come to take it for granted, but it really is an audacious claim. We…
Daily Devotions
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32 John 8:31-33 When Jesus uses the word “truth” he’s talking about more than doctrines or theoretical propositions. Everything is relational with him, and here he’s promising his disciples a relationship that will put their hearts and minds at rest and also give them…
Daily Devotions
This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” vss. 3-4 1 Timothy 2:3-7 Early Christians were encouraged by their leaders to pray for everyone, because those leaders believed that God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. What had happened in Christ Jesus wasn’t just for a few but for all people. It’s…
Daily Devotions
For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love…” vs. 8 Philemon 1:8-9 Paul has a favor to ask of his friend Philemon, a leader of the congregation at Colossae. Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, a new Christian, has become a companion to Paul in prison. Paul would like Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and to…
Daily Devotions
Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 82 This psalmist imagines God sitting in the divine council and holding judgment. And from that throne God calls out, “Give justice to the weak…maintain the right of the lowly…rescue the needy.” The psalmist has no doubt about God’s priorities–indeed we hear this refrain throughout scripture,…
Daily Devotions
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” vs. 29 Luke 10:25-29 The lawyer who came to Jesus had a pretty good understanding of what was required to inherit eternal life. He answered quickly, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” We would agree. These are the central commandments of the…
Daily Devotions
Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away … No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.” vss. 11, 14 Deuteronomy 30:11-14 What is this word that the scribe is describing in these ancient texts, a word not found in a book, or across the sea? It is the very Word that the gospel…