Monday, February 2, 2015

Weekly Devotional - "Life Together" - 2/2

Life Together 

by: Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

Because I love you so much  . . .
  • I never call, text, email, or send cards.
  • I always say we should get together, but never do.
  • I busy myself with responsibilities instead of relationships.
  • I fail to pray for you.
  • I do not bring you the message.
 That list pricks, but it doesn’t bleed love.

What Paul said about love is this. Because we loved you so much . . .
  • We were delighted to share the Gospel with you!
  • We were delighted to share our lives as well!
Messengers God can use do life together. They speak the good news and live it within the context of community. In the ordinariness of life, they share life.

Paul continues. Just like a nursing mother cares for her children, we should be gentle and care for one another. Just like a father deals with his own children, we should encourage, comfort, and live lives worthy of God, who calls us into His kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:7, 11-12).

The best way for people to really hear the message of God’s love is to slow down and do life together in community. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive, but it is costly.

The cost? You have to give up your life.

The One who left the glories of heaven to give up His life and do life together with us, says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13).

Send Me: How can you intentionally bring the message today by sharing your life?

To be a community of light from which the light of Christ will emanate we need to be intentional in our relationships—to love the unlovely, forgive the unforgivable, embrace the repulsive, include the awkward, accept the weird. It is in contexts such as these that sinners are transformed into disciples who obey everything King Jesus has commanded. –Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

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