Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 17:17-20
Prov 17:17-20
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor. Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
John 13:33-35
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
What made this commandment new? They had been told several times by Jesus that they were to love each other. They had heard Jesus say that the second most important command from God was to love your neighbor as yourself. The thing that made this new at this time was that Jesus was showing them true love for one another, love that laid down its life for the good of others. He put our interests ahead of his own by becoming sin for us so we can be righteous in him.
Faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love. Faith is the foundation of our relationship with God, but faith will end in eternity, when it becomes, sight. At that time, hope will no longer exist because what we are longing for will have become reality. But we will know the love of God for us in an even greater way than we have known it here on earth. Our love for him will reach a new level of intensity because we will see him as he is, and we will be with Jesus our Savior!
This new love is the badge of a child of God. This “lay down your life” love is how we show the world we belong to Jesus. This “not my will, but yours be done” love sets us apart from the world. When we truly accept his love into our hearts so that it is perfected in us, we reach a new height in our service and our relationship with Jesus. With this new love, life is not about “me”, but it is about loving to serve others as Jesus came to earth to serve you and me. The greatest is love!
O Lord God, fill me with your Spirit so I will know how to love others as you love me. Give me the strength to love enough to give up myself and my interests, so that I will put others ahead of myself. Help me be the friend and brother who will always be available to help others in their times of adversity. Lord, this is not easy because sometimes I get caught up in my love for myself, what I want, what I think, and how I feel, instead of putting you first and the interest of others ahead of my own. Increase my faith! I pray in the name of Jesus my friend.
Robert
