Being Like Him - a 40 Day Lenten DevotionalSample

Love

Jesus summed up the entire Old Testament commandments into two commandments for us to obey: ‘Love God and love others.’ The origin of this command is rooted in the very nature of God. God is love. It was deep love in the family of the Godhead that caused them to say, “Let Us create humankind in Our image.” It was in this context of a loving relationship and oneness that we were created. There was a spoken agreement or union of thoughts when man was created. Such harmony was the outflow of deep love and intimacy in the relationship among the Godhead Family.

So, as people reflecting His image, the love and intimacy that was within the Godhead is to be displayed first within our family, then extending to others. How loving are we when we have discussions with our spouse and children while making decisions? We are identified as His disciples by our love! The first testament of our Christian love must come from our own families.

The Church at Ephesus was known to be hardworking and persevering. They were known to be intolerant of wrong teachings, yet the Lord called them out on their lack of love for God, which would eventually run short in their love for others. To be like Him is to love like Him. Gary Chapman talks about five love languages that people use to communicate love. He says different people understand love differently and so loving others needs to be appropriated in ways people feel loved. The five languages are Words, Time, Gifts, Service, and Touch.

Jesus used all the five languages to show his love for us. What better source of love to find refreshment than in Jesus himself? May He grant us the grace to love our family and others in ways that they feel loved. Find people in your life today, it may be your spouse, children, a friend or a colleague, to whom you can show love through the languages that are appropriate to them.

Prayer

Dear God, we confess the lack of love in each of our lives. We have failed to love you and others the way you have loved us. Fill us anew with your love, so that we will become like you in our love. In Jesus name, Amen.