Today's Verse - 1 John 4:20-21

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

—1 John 4:20-21

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love! The word can mean almost anything in a world where it is overused and under-practiced. Many in the Christian community have tried to define it by a dictionary or lexicon, not realizing that the key word for love, agape, is defined by action. Before Christians got a hold of agape, it meant basically the same thing our word "love" is used today: just about anything! But if you read 1 John, you see love defined by God through what he does. God demonstrates his love. He asks us to do the same for our brothers and sisters. Love must be more than talk; it must be genuinely demonstrated in loving, selfless actions!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...*
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.**
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.***

My Prayer...

Precious Father, you have so graciously shared your love with me. I must confess, in my heart, I intend to love others as you do, but my intentions often get washed away with busyness, selfishness, or timidity. Father, through your Spirit, I ask that you prompt me to demonstrate my love to others in actions, not just words. Through Jesus, your most significant demonstration of love, I pray. Amen.

Today's Verse - 2 Corinthians 5:19-20

God has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

—2 Corinthians 5:19-20

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus has paid the price. God provided the ransom. The LORD's holy judgment was averted, not because of anything we did to appease him, but by the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. If God has gone to such great lengths to reconcile us to himself and adopt us into his family, how can we refuse? We must not!
Father God, we offer you our hearts, and we pledge to share the message of reconciliation as ambassadors on Christ's behalf! We will share your message of Jesus and invite, urge, and implore those around us to receive Jesus as their LORD and Savior to be reconciled to you through your Son!

My Prayer...

O Gracious God, we know our sins have broken your heart and offended your holiness. Words, therefore, cannot communicate our thankfulness fully to you for the way you provided us a way for us to be reconciled to you. You were hurt by our sins, yet provided a sacrifice to redeem us from your judgment and reconcile us to you through Jesus. We praise you for your grace, thank you for your love, and promise to share your mercy and reconciliation with all who will listen. Through Jesus, our atoning sacrifice, we pray. Amen.

Today's Verse - Galatians 3:26-29

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

—Galatians 3:26-29

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

When we become Christians through faith and our baptism into Christ, the Holy Spirit makes us one with all other Christians around the world. Race, gender, and social status are not what matter in our lives. In fact, those things don't distinguish us from each other. We are brothers and sisters in Christ living for Jesus with those we love. Our lives are his, and thus the Spirit connects us and makes us one (1 Corinthians 12:13). Our destination is the same: heaven. Our family is the church. No barriers. No closed doors. We are one in Christ Jesus!

My Prayer...

Abba Father, thank you for adopting me into your family. May we, your children, truly be one on earth now, as we will be when we are all together around your throne in heaven. I pray for our unity among all those who call upon your name and share your Spirit so the world may know there is a solution to the conflict, strife, and division it experiences through all its different prejudices. Through Jesus, our uniting Savior, in whom we are one, I pray. Amen.