Dave's Diary

How on earth can we ever manage to love the Lord, one another, and our neighbours? Living this life of Jesus-following love is a seemingly impossible task. But it can be done!

It CAN be done because it is a matter of God’s own love overflowing from us.

Prayer before Reading:

Before you read, pray this simple prayer straight from Psalm 143:8

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Now spend a moment quietly getting focused on the Lord’s presence before you read.

Daily Reading

1 Thessalonians 3:12

¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. (NIVUK)

… And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. (The Message)

This week we’re reflecting on the reality that, in certain circumstances, the prospect of truly loving others seems like an impossible task. We sense that there will be times that we just cannot do it – times that we just don’t have it in us!

But that will never be completely true for the disciple of Jesus. Yes, we will often feel that we cannot do it. But because we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, we actually can. Firstly, as we saw yesterday, because the Holy Spirit within us will empower us. And secondly, as 1 Thessalonians 3:12 puts it so eloquently, because God so liberally pours His love into us that it overflows to those around us.

The Lord never expects us to conjour up love. He simply asks us to allow Him to pour His love into us and then to allow it to flow through us to others.

And so whenever we battle to live lovingly towards others, we can call on the Lord Himself to pour the necessary love into us by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, so that it can flow through us to others. What a mysterious and wondrous truth!

Contemplation:

Please take time to ponder this truth. Turn one or more of these statements over and over in your mind:

• God has an endless supply of love.
• He constantly pours His love into me.
• Whenever I battle to love, I can call on Him for more love to be poured into me and to overflow from me.

God of boundless love, please pour Your love into me in abundance today, that it may overflow through me, towards You and everyone I meet. Amen!