Scripture to Read: 1 Thessalonians 3:12
God has commanded all of us to choose to love Him and to love others. Love is not about how we feel, but love is all about our actions. Love is selfless and always thinks of others first. God has given us His perfect definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails;” So, we see that the love God has placed in us brings about a much different picture than what the world calls love. As God led Paul to write to the believers in Thessalonica, and us today, we see that another part of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s prayer for the Thessalonian believers was that the Lord would cause them to increase in their love for one another and for all people. God causes our love to grow by challenging us with people who are hard to love. If loving others were easy, God would not have to command us to love. Loving others is a willing choice on our part to obey God’s command. God will challenge us daily as we choose to love because He does want us growing in our love for Him and others.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about love?
2. Who will you love this week in the way love is described in 1 Corinthians 13?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!