December 16 Advent Devotional
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:3 (ERV, Holy Bible: Easy to Read Version): “I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.”
If someone asks you for the definition of the word love, how would you answer that? I started thinking about it and I kept coming back to this feeling in my chest more than I have words for. I sometimes feel like my heart will explode when I think about the love I have for my children and my husband. After losing my twin brother in a car accident years ago, I sometimes have this split second thought of how I never want to experience that bursting heart ache due to the loss of a love so deep.
The dictionary says the definition of love is an intense feeling of deep affection. So think about that. God commands us to love one another! Do we have that heart exploding feelings for our neighbor advertising a political figure that we don’t agree with? Do we have that heart exploding feeling for the one who has wronged us? Do I have that heart exploding feeling for the person driving the car that hit and killed my twin brother?
Today, I challenge everyone reading this to LOVE with your heart so that you feel like it may explode! Try to LOVE by:
L – Listen Listen to those who have differing opinions or views.
O – Overlook Overlook these differences as who are we to judge?
V – Value Value everyone and know it’s ok that we are different.
E – Express Express love through the way you live.
LOVE yourself and your neighbor with every once of your being until your heart has that feeling that if just may explode!
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, you love us so much and sometimes we don’t show you and others that love. I thank you for loving me and for listing to me and overlooking my faults and differences. Help us all to value one another and to express love in the same way that you love us. Amen.
Submitted by: Kim Binnicker
