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Weekly Devotional

September 10, 2012

God’s Peace be with you all.

Ephesians 4:29 - 5:2  ²⁹ Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.  ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.  ³¹ Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice,  ³² and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. ^NRS

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,  ² and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Our devotional this week is courtesy of Lutheran Church Charities

Sacrificial Love – Part 2

We cannot accomplish the love-walk in our own strength; we must have God's help. Thank God for the Holy Spirit! Listen: '...the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us' (Romans 5:5). Notice the word '...given...' We couldn't earn it in a lifetime, yet it's always available to us. Now, while God has given us the capacity to love, we must make every effort to develop that love, release it and walk in it at all times. Love is a choice, not a mood, a magic feeling or a reaction, but a choice. Too many of us are waiting for something to 'hit' us so that we will automatically feel more love for others, then out of that feeling we will love spontaneously. No! God's love is not going to suddenly envelop you to where you float through life with a wonderful smile and a big heart. The truth is, the greatest sacrifice we make is choosing to love those who are not easy to love. Such love requires us to nail self-interest to the cross and obey Christ's command to love, regardless of the nature of the people we encounter, or how we feel in any given moment, or the circumstances we are in. Only when we decide to practice sacrificial love and put away the old 'me-first' lifestyle, will the full joy and power of God's love be released through our lives.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to love as You love, and to love all, even those who do not love me back. In Jesus’ Name, Amen  

Posted by Tim Hetzner

In our prayers this week: Bobby, Jim A., Ann, Jerry V., Mike C., and Gere

 God’s Peace,