01 Mar 2021 Devotion Series Part 2: “Love In Action”
Full Scripture Passage: I John 3:16-24
Key Verse: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
What can I do? How can I help? The people that God draws into our global Lahash community regularly and sincerely ask these types of questions. We are a community that cares greatly about others and wants to make a difference! Yet after a year of pandemic life, it often feels like our awareness of the struggles of others has increased while our options for how to respond have decreased. In the past year have there been times you wanted to take meaningful action to care for others, but felt helpless or at a loss?
The passage above is one of many that describes love being expressed through action. The love of God wants to take shape, to be embodied. Why? Because this is who Jesus is! The love of God came to us in human form, moving and dwelling among us. Love isn’t abstract or vaporous, love lives! Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection show us that when love takes action, it makes an impact. We are compelled to act in love because we are created in the image of a God who is love, and Christ’s love within us is vibrantly alive and longing for expression.
We’ve all been impacted by distance in various challenging ways, yet love compels us to make an impact that transcends distance. Rice & Beans Month gives us that opportunity! In a small way, we can mirror the sacrifice Jesus made for us and demonstrate love to others in a way that changes their lives for the better. Love becomes as tangible as a bowl of rice and beans. The love of God is alive within us, friends, and together we can put that love into action from right where we are.
Loving God, thank you for creating us to express your love in this broken and hurting world. As we put your love into action on behalf of others, we trust you to change all our lives and help us all experience you. Thank you for being enough to meet all of our needs, and for sharing out of your abundance so that we are able to give. Amen.
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:
For more reflection on the theme of LOVE IN ACTION, here are a few more scriptures to meditate on throughout the week:
- Ephesians 3:16-17
- James 2:14-18
- II Cor 5:14-15
- Psalm 145:8-15
- Isaiah 58:6-12
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