Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, August 7, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I wonder what it means to have “an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.” It sounds simple enough. But I think if you asked twenty-five self-professed Christians what this looks like in practice, you’ll get twenty-five different answers.
I keep coming back to the word flourishing lately. I think this is the “life abundantly” that Jesus came to bring. For me, an undying love for Jesus means that I am committed to the flourishing of all that God created without exception. An undying love for Jesus is about being intentional in my daily choices, aware of how what I do impacts others I might not know in ways I might not comprehend. In a complex, global society this is a herculean task, and one I don’t often have energy for. But an undying love for Jesus means being challenged in ways that stretch me, and not always comfortably.
All that being said, I believe God’s grace is with everyone, even if they don’t have an undying love for Jesus of any sort. My undying love for Jesus would insist that I extend such grace without exception.
What does and undying love for Jesus mean to me?
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