The love
The 3rd Sunday after Epiphany
I worship at your holy temple
and praise you for your love
and your faithfulness.
You were true to your word
and made yourself more famous
than ever before. ~ Psalm 138:2 (CEV)
I told them what you are like, and I will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of them, and I will be one with them. ~ John 17:26 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
God's famous love holds us together.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Lord. I feel loved. Like the psalmist, I want to praise you for your love and faithfulness.
I want to worship you even more than I do already. I realize that we love better together -- when we let you fill us with your love -- when together we are one with you. Save us from trying to love on our own. That just seems impossible. So I pray for growing unity with you, Christ Jesus, and all your people. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
