Created To Serve




Little children let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
(1 John 3.18)

Meditation

The believers in the false god of Islam say Allah loves them, but the Muslim god hates many more people than he supposedly loves. Allah claims he loves his followers in their scriptures, called the Koran, but never shows his love in any tangible way. He did not die for his people, he does not save anyone, in fact, he demands martyrdom. What kind of love is that? We have the most overwhelming example of love, from the one and only true God, and one of his names is Jehovah. He loves every person on the planet, sinner or saint. He claims he loves us in the scriptures but then he proved it by sending his Son to shed his blood to save me.
How can I ignore that single instance of God’s love for me? The scriptures are full of other illustrations of his love. God is love and I am now his child, filled to overflowing with his love. Because Jesus loves me so much, his love spills out and I cannot keep that love to myself. To be clear, I am saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not by any work or good deed of my own. My acts of love come from the Lord, and I show my love for him through them.
I share his love for me, not by just telling those around me I love them. I show them my love by what I do for them. How can I experience everything he has done for me and not help someone else in need? If someone needs food or clothing, I should give to them. They also need to hear the truth of Jesus Christ, but probably not before I show them his love by my good deeds. I should always share the gospel but I should first make sure their physical needs are met. Some will reject the gospel and that’s their choice, just love them anyway.
Jesus didn’t become a human so I could sit on my couch or in a church pew and do nothing more than believing in him. No, he wants me to be as much like he was while he was here. If I just sit around and do nothing else, I’m just a fan of Jesus. He wants 'on fire for him' followers, not fans. He was a servant to all, even to the point of death, but he didn’t stay dead, he’s alive! He now sits at the right hand of God the Father, so I have to be his hands and feet while I’m here. So, yes, tell people you love them but showing them is what proves it. If you show them his love they will give glory to the Father in heaven.


Daily Prayer


Father God, you are gracious and merciful. You care for us in ways we don’t even realize. You provide for our every need without condition. Your love is constant and never-ending. Father, we want to be like Jesus when he walked the earth. He came as a servant to all, helping the sick, lame, and dying. He always did this with love and compassion. Give us a servant heart like Jesus so we can both love the lost and serve them as well. Our faith in you is made complete when we show others your love for them by our acts of service. Help us to always be mindful of the people and circumstances around us. When we see a need before us, help us to be decisive and act quickly to fill that need. When those needs are filled, give us the words to make them realize how much they need you too. We thank you for giving us the greatest gift ever when Jesus came to save us from slavery to sin. Thank you, Lord God, for our salvation from this sinful world and giving us the blessed hope for eternity. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!

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