John 10:14-18
“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my
own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows
me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing
myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in
addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too.
They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one
Shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay
down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from
me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down;
I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority
personally from my Father.”
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
It’s Valentine’s Day…the day
when expressions of love flow freely between almost all of us.
Flowers, candy, jewelry and more cards than can be counted are exchanged
between people of all ages. According to an article at Money.com, the
average amount many will spend on Valentine’s Day this year is nearly
$150. And the words written on Valentine cards run the gamut from the
silly to the sappy…but the general gist of most is that the recipient
has captured our hearts!
In this scripture passage, Jesus is
telling us that He has captured God’s heart…and God has captured His.
More than that…WE have captured His heart…and He wants to capture ours.
Jesus knows us intimately – and He wants us to know Him just as well.
Going one step further…Jesus wants us to share this love with others…to
develop a deep, abiding affection for others that mimics His love for
us. In this manner, we can demonstrate to them how much God loves us -
and create in them a desire to become part of the flock.
If God
sent us a Valentine, I imagine it might feature Jesus gathering His
flock of sheep, with Ephesians 3:18 written across the front…” And I ask
him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take
in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s
love.”
God wants us to be His …and to so clearly demonstrate to
the world how special this relationship is that others can’t help but
want to join in, also. His love is incredible and vast - and there is
room for all of us. This is GREAT NEWS!
1 John 4:19 reminds us
that…”First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.” Who do you
love…and how will you show it? Will you demonstrate your love for God
today…and will you share His love with others? You don’t have to spend
$150 to do this. There are countless ways to express your affection and
appreciation for God and others. Which ones will you choose today?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label making God your ultimate Valentine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label making God your ultimate Valentine. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for February 10, 2015
Deuteronomy 6:5
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In case you have been under a rock for the last few days, let me remind you that it’s almost Valentine’s Day! Everywhere you turn, there are ads and information about this holiday…encouragements to order your flowers early…suggestions for the best chocolates or that perfect gift for your special love. Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday of the year for many children. Believe it or not, this holiday trumps Christmas! There is just something about all of those colorful little cards with sentiments of love and friendship that stirs a child’s heart and fills him/her with joy and excitement.
On the February 8th edition of CBS’s Sunday Morning, comedian Jim Gaffigan presented a monologue about Valentine’s Day and how we’ve made such a big deal about ONE DAY each year on which we show our love to others. He noted that we purchase cards with sentiments that we didn’t write and sign our names to them…we spend a lot of money on impractical things that we hope will adequately express to someone else how much we love and care for them. He scoffs at the significance we have placed on this holiday and humorously reminds us to learn to make EVERY day a Valentine’s Day – and to shower our “beloved” with continual affection and devotion.
A friend recently shared an essay on Facebook in which the writer suggested that prayer helps us develop a deeper understanding of what God is telling us in scripture. In other words, we become better able to “read between the lines”. And that is what I believe we can do with this verse from Deuteronomy 6.
When we love God with our whole heart – with all that is in us and all that we have – we increase our desire to be in His presence. As we grow in our love and affection for Him, we desire to be continually in His presence – much like when we fall in love with our mortal “beloveds”. As we strive to emulate the love of Christ to others, we become more aware of His constant companionship. So to connect the dots…if you develop a deep, abiding, loving relationship with God, you will more clearly feel His presence in your life each and every day. As you serve God and share Him with others, your “connection” to Him will strengthen.
When we make God our ultimate “Beloved”, every day is “Valentine’s Day”…and He is always with us. How deep is your love for God these days? Do you love Him with all you’ve got? Have you “sent God a Valentine” lately? Don’t you think you should?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In case you have been under a rock for the last few days, let me remind you that it’s almost Valentine’s Day! Everywhere you turn, there are ads and information about this holiday…encouragements to order your flowers early…suggestions for the best chocolates or that perfect gift for your special love. Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday of the year for many children. Believe it or not, this holiday trumps Christmas! There is just something about all of those colorful little cards with sentiments of love and friendship that stirs a child’s heart and fills him/her with joy and excitement.
On the February 8th edition of CBS’s Sunday Morning, comedian Jim Gaffigan presented a monologue about Valentine’s Day and how we’ve made such a big deal about ONE DAY each year on which we show our love to others. He noted that we purchase cards with sentiments that we didn’t write and sign our names to them…we spend a lot of money on impractical things that we hope will adequately express to someone else how much we love and care for them. He scoffs at the significance we have placed on this holiday and humorously reminds us to learn to make EVERY day a Valentine’s Day – and to shower our “beloved” with continual affection and devotion.
A friend recently shared an essay on Facebook in which the writer suggested that prayer helps us develop a deeper understanding of what God is telling us in scripture. In other words, we become better able to “read between the lines”. And that is what I believe we can do with this verse from Deuteronomy 6.
When we love God with our whole heart – with all that is in us and all that we have – we increase our desire to be in His presence. As we grow in our love and affection for Him, we desire to be continually in His presence – much like when we fall in love with our mortal “beloveds”. As we strive to emulate the love of Christ to others, we become more aware of His constant companionship. So to connect the dots…if you develop a deep, abiding, loving relationship with God, you will more clearly feel His presence in your life each and every day. As you serve God and share Him with others, your “connection” to Him will strengthen.
When we make God our ultimate “Beloved”, every day is “Valentine’s Day”…and He is always with us. How deep is your love for God these days? Do you love Him with all you’ve got? Have you “sent God a Valentine” lately? Don’t you think you should?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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