11th. March. 2022. Daily Devotion.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”~ John 13:34-35

We cannot control others. We can only control ourselves. No matter how I am treated, the Lord expects me to love people the way he loves me. That has nothing to do with them. Jesus died for those who were previously the enemies of God. His love was not conditional on how he was treated.

We are the means by which people experience the love of Jesus. It happens through us. He has gone away for a bit and has left us to carry on his work. That work is love. The path he walked was one of self-sacrifice, and sacrifice is the greatest example of love that there is. It’s not a feeling, it is an action. When we are given offense, we need to put others before ourselves. In the true matters of love, there is no self. If he took the form of a bondservant and humbled himself to death, it certainly means I can at least return hatred with kindness. It’s not easy, but I can do it. We can do it. Michael Cranford.

Lord, help me to love others with you love. Give me your grace to deal with conflict, and your wisdom so that I would reflect you in all I say and do. Amen.

O Lord our God, you rule over all things, and you accomplish all things. You never remove your hands from your works, nor ever shall. Guide us, we pray, with the power and the wisdom with which, from the beginning, you have loved and made all things, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Julian of Norwich (c.1343-c.1416)

We praise you, God, who came to us in your word, for the richness of language, dialect, and idiom. Thank you for the ability to learn and use language – both mother-tongue and others – and for how living a new language leads to deeper understanding of ourselves, others and you. Above all, we rejoice in the language of your love, beyond words. Amen.

For Lonely People

Father, we pray for all lonely people, especially those who coming home to an empty house stand at the door hesitant and afraid to enter. May all who stand on any doorway with fear in their hearts, like the two on the Emmaus road, ask the living one in. Then, by his grace, may they find that in loneliness they are never alone and that he peoples empty rooms with his presence. Amen. E M Farr.

For Ukraine

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world:
We commend to your merciful care the people and government of Ukraine that, being guided by your providence, they may dwell secure in your peace. Grant to their leaders and all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve their people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.