HOW TO LOVE GOD

The Second Sunday in Lent

JOSHUA 23:11 (CEB)
For your own sake, be very careful to love the LORD your God.

1 JOHN 5:3 (MSG)
The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.

THE ESSENCE
Obeying God's commandments is how we demonstrate our love for him. 

DAILY FODDER
Anything less than obedience is faux-love. In your experience, what does faux-love for God look like? How do you keep yourself from slipping into the fake look-alike alternatives to obedience?

PRAYER
Loving God, I'm grateful that your love for us does not depend on our obedience. We confess, though, that the way I express my confessed love for you is inconsistent. Foster genuine obedient faithful love in me. I'm going to love you by following Jesus' command to love my neighbors. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

HE MADE US

ISAIAH 29:16 (NLT)
How foolish can you be?
He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!
Should the created thing say of the one who made it,
“He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say,
“The potter who made me is stupid”?

EPHESIANS 2:10 (GNT)
God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

THE ESSENCE
God made us. 

DAILY FODDER
God made us. Let the implcations of that sink in.

PRAYER
Creator God, you are worthy of all recognition and praise. Unfortunately, we redirect most of that recognition and praise to ourselves. We are quite adept at leaving you out of the picture — even reasoning that we know more than you. Do whatever it takes to turn our foolishness around so that we're trusting you, our maker, our superior, for every aspect of our lives. Only then does life start to make sense. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE ADVOCATE

NEHEMIAH 1:6 (CEB)
Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant, which I now pray before you night and day for your servants...

LUKE 18:7-8 (MSG)
So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet.

THE ESSENCE
Move forward, assuming that God advocates for his people. 

DAILY FODDER
How does the knowledge that God works everything for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28) impact your ongoing trust in him? So then, is he the first you turn to when you encounter trouble? 

PRAYER
God of the universe, I'm impressed that you stand up for your people. Even though we're feeble in our faith, you advocate for us. Help me to direct all my concerns to you forthwith, so I can take full advantage of your generous nature. I'm trusting that you are not the foot-dragging type of god. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE LONG GAME OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

PROVERBS 4:18 (MSG)
The ways of right-living people glow with light;
the longer they live, the brighter they shine.

1 PETER 3:14 (ABP)
But even if you're harassed for doing what is right, God will make sure you get what is due to you. So don’t stress out or back down when you're threatened.

THE ESSENCE
Hey, right-living people, don't let anyone snuff out your light. 

DAILY FODDER
We're not surprised by pushback because there is always someone who feels threatened by righteousness. The challenge is to respond to their behavior with gentle, illuminating persistence rather than the kind of crass harshness they introduce into the situation. 

PRAYER
True God, as we consider how dark people deal with light, we can't help but notice that your glowing righteousness outshines all darkness. Forgive me for despairing when the dark shadows of the evil empire squawk like they're taking over. Calm my mind so that I avoid getting sucked into responding in kind to their nastiness and can continue to glow with your light. I'm going to play the long game of righteousness. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.