DAILY DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020
SCRIPTURE READING
John 15:9b (KJV) continue ye in my love.
What is love? Is it a birthday cake? Is love kisses and hugs? Is it love when your baby brother walks all over the Lego fort you’re building and you yell at him and shove him to the floor? Is it love when you say “yes, Mommy” after your Mommy tells you “no?” What is love?
Jesus here commands His disciples to “continue” in His “love.” The relationship between Jesus and His disciples was love.
What is the difference between liking someone and loving someone? Jesus didn’t just like His disciples—He loved them. The disciples didn’t just like Jesus—they loved Him. But Jesus gave them an order. Jesus commanded them to love Him. He commanded them to “continue” in His love.
This means it’s hard to love someone. It isn’t easy. You have to work at it. The disciples had to work at loving Jesus. Jesus commanded them do it. Jesus commanded them to love Him.
Isn’t that weird? Why would you ever have to command someone to love you?
Sometimes your Daddy and Mommy don’t want to love each other. Sometimes your Daddy and Mommy don’t want to love Jesus. Yes, Jesus is perfect, but sometimes it’s hard to love Jesus. Yes, God is perfect, but sometimes it’s hard to love God.
This is why God commands us to love Him: “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
This is why Jesus commanded His disciples to love Him: “Continue ye in my love (John 15:9b).
Love is not candy. Love is not happiness. Love is not liking someone. Love is not a feeling.
Love is hard work, and loving God is even harder work. We’ll explain this more tomorrow night.
Scripture: John 15:9b continue ye in my love.
QUESTIONS
- Do you love your little brother?
- Is it easy to love your little brother?
- Is it easy to love Jesus?
SONG OF THE WEEK
The Love of God
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen could ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
The erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race–
The saints’ and angels’ song.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song. (x2)
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Almighty God, through Jesus Christ my merciful Savior, who loved me and gave Himself up for me when I was an enemy, help me so to love others that by abiding in Your love and following Your righteous example I testify faithfully by all my attitudes and actions that You Yourself are gracious and good, long-suffering and patient, tender-hearted and compassionate, most willing and ready to forgive. Amen.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
John 15:7-8 (KJV)
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
