God is Love (1 Jn 4:8, 16). So life in God is all about love. In fact, the Christian is about abiding in love and abiding in God (1 Jn 4:16).
First of all, we receive God's love. We are God's "beloved." He loves us infinitely, unconditionally, personally, and perfectly.
Then we love because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). Impelled by love (2 Cor 5:14), we come to decide to love God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength (Lk 10:27).
After receiving love from God and returning love to God, we begin to love ourselves (Lk 10:27). This makes it possible to love our neighbors as ourselves (Lk 10:27). We can extend God's love even to our enemies by forgiving them (see Lk 6:27, 35). Abiding in God's love, we can even lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Jn 3:16). We can even die for love of those who would put us to death.
Live forever in love. Love God, Who is Love.
| PRAYER: | Father, give me enough love to repent. |
| PROMISE: | "Your faith has been your salvation. Now go in peace." –Lk 7:50 |
| PRAISE: | St. Januarius and his companions were martyred in the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College