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October 17 - Living the Love Life
"Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends."
(John 15:13)
We
often think of laying down your life for someone else in terms of
dying. That's what Jesus did. He loved us so much He laid down His
life by dying in our place so that we could live.
But now, He's
asked us to lay down our lives in a different way. He's asked us to
show our love, not by dying for others, but by living for
them.
Exactly what does
that mean?
Sometimes it means giving our
lives by spending time
in prayer for someone. Other times it means
giving of
ourselves with love and understanding. Many times
it means laying down
our own selfish desires in order to
meet the needs of another.
Romans 15:1 puts it this way,
"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,
and not to please ourselves."
When you lay down your life,
you live to please God instead of yourself. You let your life be
guided by His love. If love leads you to the person next door, you
follow. When love calls you to intercede for someone in need, you
yield.
Commit yourself
today to lay down your own life--and take up the love life. Say:
"Father, in Jesus' Name, I see
from Your Word that You were willing to give of Yourself, in the
person of Your Son, for all men. I understand that because Jesus is
Lord of my life, I, too, am called to give myself to others. I
choose to accept that calling today.
"I'll give of my time. I'll
give of Your love in me. I'll be strong and lift up those who are
weak. I'm willing to be available to be used of You so that those
around me might experience the abundant life You have provided.
"You have loved me, Lord, with
the greatest love there is. I count it a privilege now to share that
love with others. I thank You for it in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Scripture
Study: Galatians
5:22-26, Galatians 6:1-3"
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