The Compassionate – Day 259 – 1 John 3:16-18 – Live Sacrificially – Growing As Disciples
This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. 1 John 3:16-18 (MSG)
Visible Or Invisible?
That is quite a choice. That will make quite a difference. What is quite a choice? What will make quite a difference? Will I choose to make your love visible or invisible in the world? My choice will make quite a difference to those in need all around me. Let me state what I understand. I’m listening. You love me. Yes, I do love you. You demonstrated your love for me by giving yourself sacrificially for me. There was nothing theoretical about your love for me. You came into this world, humbled yourself as a man, lived and died on the cross for me, as payment for my sins. Your love for me was costly. Your love for me was sacrificial. It cost your life to demonstrate your love for me and for all others who would come to know and love and follow and serve you. Yes, demonstrating my love for you was costly. Giving myself for you was the only way that you could be forgiven of your sins and cleansed of your unrighteousness. Giving myself for you was the only way that you could come to know and love and follow and serve me. My sacrificial giving to you made it possible for you to live in an intimate relationship with me. I made you to be a member of family. For that, I am thankful. Of that, I am certain. That is very good. Now, there is something else I know without a doubt. What is that? You want me to become like you in my thoughts, and words, and actions. You want me to love like you loved. You want me to serve like you served. You want me to give like you gave. Yes, I do. You want my thoughts and words and actions to make your love visible in the world. Yes, I do. That is the choice I will make. I will sacrificially give of myself to others who are in need all round me. I will follow your example. I will do what you did. That will be very good.
Lord, I will not have a blind eye to those in need all around me. I will allow you to use me to demonstrate your love to others in need. I will think and speak and act like you. I will sacrificially give to others in need so your love can be made visible in the world. Amen
Key Question… How will your choices make Christ’s love visible or invisible in the world?
Living It Out… Allow the Lord to use you to demonstrate His sacrificial love to others in the world.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will use you to demonstrate His sacrificial love to others in the world.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are demonstrating Christ’s sacrificial love to others.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you practice real love by living sacrificially for others.
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