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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 23, 2007 All You Need Is Love |
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Frontline Devotion for Tuesday, January 23, 2007 by Anne B. Crawford
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, New International Version)
One of my newest favorite holiday movies is “Love Actually.” It is set in the present day and takes place in the 4-5 weeks preceding Christmas in London. The movie follows the lives and stories of several individuals as they struggle with love – love lost, love found, unrequited love, love between friends, childhood love. Each of the stories is meant to illustrate that in the midst of lives that are messy and complicated, that love goes on. Men and women fall in and out of love, some loves are unrealized, but love is the fuel that keeps us going and that despite indications to the contrary “love actually” is all around. I thought of that movie as I read my verses for today’s devotion. In its own way, the Bible makes the same point. Not so much that love actually is all around but that love actually is what’s most important. It is what keeps God coming after us all the time to gather us in as his children, it is the reason he sent his Son, Jesus, to die for us, it is one of the greatest commandments (to love God and to love one another). Jesus even says that of all the commandments these two – to love God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind and all our strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves – are the greatest. Greatness doesn’t come from who we know or how much money or power we can muster; it isn’t a matter of intellect or spiritual superiority – greatness comes from the measure of how much we love one another.
Loving one another is no small task. It is not a matter of mushy, romantic love (although that has its place), it is a love that bears witness in words and actions, day in and day out that God calls us to. It is a love made manifest in service and sacrifice and wanting what is best for the ‘others’ in our lives.
Take a check of your relationships this week – is love actually present in your words and deeds with those around you? Ifs so, keep it up and praise God that you are following his great commandment. If not, take some time to reflect on how you can restore love to those relationships. It’s worth the effort because love actually is important!
Loving God, your love for us is so great, we can hardly comprehend it. Send your Spirit to help us embody your love in all our relationships. Make us great in love and help us to use our talents and resources as a means to convey our love and concern for others. Thank you for loving us so utterly. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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