This past week reading Settle My Soul has challenged us to think about the love of God toward us and, our love toward others.

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“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:3, NLT)

I hope you will read the verse over a few times, even slowing down to let the words sink in.

God loves you.

“It is not, ‘I have pitied thee,’ nor ‘I have thought about thee,’ but ‘I have loved thee.’ God is in love with you.” (Charles Spurgeon)

God is in love with you! Isn’t that just the most magnificent thought!

He not only loved you long ago, in eternity past, and many years ago, but He has loved you every of your life and will always love you for all of eternity.

Father, how we thank you for loving us – unconditionally, faithfully, and for all eternity. You will never stop loving us. How precious is this thought today. Help us today to know how deeply your love is towards us.

In what part of your life do you need to feel the everlasting love and unfailing kindness of God?

May the words of this song and the Scripture today cause each of us to feel His love towards us!

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“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have love you, you should love one each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35, NLT)

Relationships can be difficult and trying. They will try us in many various ways. The question becomes will we stay in the relationship for the long haul.

When the relationship becomes hard will we stick with it?

The authors challenged us to see relationships as opportunities to be a reflection of the gospel.

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“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13, NLT)

Here we find Jesus teaching that the way to love one another is to love sacrificially.

Laying down our lives can mean not demanding our own way. It is allowing others to have a say. Listening to the thoughts of others more intently and giving them consideration.

In what areas of life do you like to get your way? In what ways could you show love to others by laying down your desires?

Do you struggle with not getting what you want? Loving as Jesus loved means not promoting our own ways and serving others.

Father, forgive us for those times when we are selfish. Help us to be more willing to to lay our lives down for those you have called us to love. Help us to love as you do. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

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God’s deep and unfailing love for us,
shows us how to lay down our lives and
love others.

Photo 1: by Nani Williams on Unsplash
Photo 2: by Rustic Vegan on Unsplash

Today I am joining… Woman to Woman and Recharge Wednesday and Let’s Have Coffee .