Love

This verse describes exactly what I don’t want to do and exactly who I don’t want to be. It describes a half-hearted follower of Christ, who does the right things but not necessarily for the right reasons. Let’s not allow this verse to describe us.

When we start by loving God with our whole being it flows from there. So if you are having trouble with the second greatest commandment; start with the first.

What does the Lord ask of you? That’s a great question, isn’t it? What does God really want me to do? Here are five answers from today’s passage.

God’s wrath regarding sin is a demonstration of his love, care, and protection. If God never demonstrated his wrath, he would not be righteous.

Just as God provided a way to stop the spread of sin, so he instructed his people on how to avoid the spread of infection and disease. Reading through these laws gives me a new appreciation for God’s gracious care, his thorough protection, and his practical love.

What a response to God! What generosity! Remember these were “freewill offerings” the people were bringing. They were giving voluntarily from a heart of worship in response to God’s amazing love and grace. How are you doing with your freewill offerings?

Today, thank God for his compassion - his affection that leads to action. Thank God for his grace - acceptance without condition. Thank God for his patience - his slowness to become angry. Thank God for his love - the love that sent Jesus to the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. Thank God for his faithfulness - He will always keep his promises. Thank God that through his Holy Spirit, he is standing with you right now.

God is using every minute to mold you into the person He needs you to be for the next leg of the journey. God is at work. He loves you with unconditional love. He has given you an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade.

Don’t run from him; run to him! God promises that if we confess our sins, he “is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It’s time to come out of the darkness into the wonderful light of God’s grace.