Wednesday, January 26, 2011
1 John 4:19 We love him because He first loved us.
TAKE MY LOVE!
Every mother and wife knows how hard it can be get her family to help with the household chores. Sometimes she finds that she'd rather do the dishes by herself just so she doesn't have to listen to her family complain when she asks for help. How much better, how happier everyone is, when father and children willingly volunteer to help because they love her. The father and children will be happy because they are doing what they wanted to do. The mother will be happy because she didn't have to threaten, bribe or scold.
That is the way God wants us to serve Him. God wants HIS LOVE to motivate us to GLAD service. He wants us to work for Him because we love Him; because we know He has given us all that we have; because He sent His Son to be our Savior to die for us and to earn heaven for us by His sufferings and death!
If God's love is our motivation, we will be glad to serve the Lord our whole life long. We will count it a privilege to toil day in and day out even if we receive no thanks for it! Forgive us, Lord, for the weakness of our love for You. Help us by Your Spirit to "Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2).
Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure-store;
Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all, for Thee.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 400:6)
