February 28, 2020 - LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

Day 59 - (Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 54; Galatians 5:1-15)

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR 

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:13-14 ESV) 

We who have been freed from the consequences of our sins by means of Christ’s forgiveness are called to love our neighbors by serving them. What would this kind of other-focused service look like? Paul answers that question a few verses later.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV) 

I believe that the love of Christ, and only the love of Christ, is the answer to all of the name calling and outright hatred we are bombarded with every day in the news and social media by people of all stripes. As followers of Jesus Christ, you and are I are in a unique position whereby the Lord can use us to change things one person at a time. We get to do this by reflecting these Jesus traits...

● love
● joy
● peace
● patience
● kindness
● goodness
● faithfulness
● gentleness and
● self-control!

WE’RE ALL HUMAN. WE’RE ALL BROKEN. WE ALL NEED JESUS and His LOVE!

1. Love in Christ is strong and living, Binding faithful hearts in one;
Love in Christ is true and giving, May His will in us be done.

2. Love is patient and forbearing, Clothed in Christ’s humility,
Gentle, selfless, kind, and caring, Reaching out in charity.

3. Love in Christ abides forever, Fainting not when ills attend;
Love, forgiving and forgiven, Shall endure until life’s end.
(“Love in Christ Is Strong and Living,” Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #706) 

Heavenly Father, please have mercy on our hate-filled world. Please use those who bear Your name to reach out to our neighbors in our communities, nation and around the world with the life-changing and soul-saving love of Jesus Christ. In holy name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings
Then scroll down to 2020 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!