Devotion:
Read Ephesians 5:1-2.
Paul calls on Christians to imitate God in order to live up to the reputation of the family of God. He challenges believers to walk in the way of love, as Christ did. This is about loving the way Jesus loved. Jesus was always in line with his father’s will. The love of Jesus embraced outcasts, sinners, and the hopeless, and he willingly sacrificed everything so that we sinners could be reconciled with God. Sacrificial love is our most visible and defining family trait that we can learn from Jesus. The only reason we are in the family of God in the first place is because of God’s extravagant love. As Paul calls us to imitate God’s love, he reminds us that we are defined by it, we are dearly loved children.
Our own deep love rises from that of eternal love. Our love is an overflow of the love God has personally shown to each of us. God loves you because you are his child, and you are his child because he loves you. Children of God are caught up into the unending circle of God’s love. We are most like our heavenly Father when we allow that love to flow from us into the lives of others.
Personal Worship Option:
Lord, give us the love to serve others with such selfless devotion that our kindness will help transform their lives and draw them to Jesus, the source of all love. In his name we pray. Amen.
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