Devotional Blog Saturday, August 27

Daily Devotional for Saturday, August 27

Herein Is Love

Sometimes God makes things perfectly clear; sometimes He simply lays the truth out for you to see, read and understand. Some of God’s truths hurt. This is a truth many of you would like to avoid. In fact, in your quest to avoid this truth, you come up with a lot of reasons why some of your neighbors are just not lovable, as if somehow that gets you off the hook with God on this one. God pulls no punches and leaves no loopholes here; if you fail to love your brother, you lose your right to claim that you love God. 

That seems difficult; the truth is, this is difficult. Many people are hard to love, including yourself. Some people may hate you, and in your flesh, you may feel you hate them, too! You may wonder how you can overcome your own flawed humanity and love every brother. Well, the answer is multifold. First, your flesh cannot and will not; only being saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit can change who you are. Second, the Holy Spirit does not force you to do anything. He only provides the ability; you must provide the desire. 

Even the desire does not come from within you but comes from outside you. That, of course is the example Jesus set by dying for sinners, even those who hated Him! That is perfect love. That perfect love He offered you should inspire you, by love in return and gratefulness, to desire to love your brother even when the brother seems hard to love. Once you show the true desire, then the Holy Spirit will do the rest of the work, so long as you remain willing.

JUST A THOUGHT: Even when you struggle with your actions, God knows your heart and is willing to help you by His Holy Spirit.

Wally Fry