Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2
All of us want to control things in our lives. Parents control children. Teachers control students. Businesspeople control profits and losses. Farmers control weeds and insects. Children control toys. Drivers control cars.
As Christians, we want God's love to govern and direct our lives. Between God and His people there is a bond of love. So great is God's love for us that Jesus gave up His life for us on the cross. That love connection by faith brings response and change. Those who have been touched by God's love in Christ are so moved that they no longer live for themselves, but for Him.
Sacrificial love characterizes the Christian life. We are now controlled by Christ's love. Christ's love is God's power at work in our lives. Christ's love is God's way of governing His church to keep it radiant and vibrant.
The life of love has no hint of immorality, indecency, greed, or foul language. Rather it is a life openly lived to enable all to see the goodness, righteousness, and truth produced in it by the power of the Spirit.
"Love makes the world go round" is a song lyric. Christ's love also brings the world around. The power to love and to be controlled by love comes from God. We love because He first loved us.
PRAYER: God of love, connect Your loving Word to us so we may be guided by Your love; for Jesus' sake. Amen.
(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 16-18 Matthew 27:1-26
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