Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- January 21, 2014
Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments. Nehemiah 1:5
Just as the Lord God made a covenant of love with His chosen people Israel, He covenants in love with His church the Bride of Christ. We are united with Christ in the bonds of love forever. Yes, those who fall in love with Jesus stand at the altar of trust and vow to remain faithful until death brings them into eternal oneness with their Lord. Our fidelity of faith is evidence of our genuine love and commitment to God. His covenant of love compels us to be loved and to love.
We are loved by God unconditionally, even when we fail to reciprocate His love. Though the Lord’s love is jealous, He does not jettison us from His presence when we ignore Him. We may drift away from Him with our unwise decisions, but His love is available to bring us back to the security and serenity of His presence. Christ’s covenant of love to His forgiven bride keeps us humble and grateful. Like Esther, we seek to adorn ourselves with the beauty of His holiness.
And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. Esther 2:15
We love the Lord, because He first loved us. We pursue the Lord, because He first pursued us. We serve the Lord, because He first served us. We remain faithful to the Lord, because He remains faithful to us. Yes, we love Him and keep His commands, because of what His grace and love have already done for us. It is a divine gift that provides what we need most. Our greatest need is to be loved by our Heavenly Father. Christ’s covenant of love grows love in our heart.
God’s covenant of love is not to be taken for granted. It is not an emotional acknowledgement we act on only when our feelings cooperate. No, when we entered into covenant with Christ we committed to Christ and to all He represents: love, obedience, generosity, holiness, service, worship, prayer, scripture, mercy, grace, forgiveness, evangelism, discipleship and the church. Since He keeps His covenant of love, we are the bride of Christ who loves, cherishes and obeys.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your covenant of love that invites me to be loved by You and compels me to love You and others.
Related Readings: Daniel 9:4; Matthew 22:37-40; 1 Corinthians 13:13, 16:14; Galatians 5:6; 1 John 4:7-12
Post/Tweet today: Since He keeps His covenant of love, we are the bride of Christ who loves, cherishes and obeys. #covenantoflove
Blessed by these readings?: pray about giving a donation, click… http://bit.ly/KArLE5
Check Out Boyd’s 12 devotional books over the past 10 years … http://bit.ly/Tv6y9a
Free eBook when you sign up 5 friends for the free email devotional… http://bit.ly/1hNvIe8
© 2014 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
Wisdom Hunters Resources / A registered 501 c3 ministry info@wisdomhuntersdevotional.com / www.wisdomhunters.com
Comments are closed.
Thank you, that was very encouraging! I accepted my “call” from God to His great love and so the wisest thing I can do in this human condition, is to LET HIM Lead me to and through by His Holy Spirit, and stay in a vital-vertical relationship with Him, so I can be equipped with everything He has to give me, every single day so I can love Him best, serve Him better and live right with everyone, all the time! o/