ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 7, 2023 (PERFECT LOVE)
TOPIC: PERFECT LOVE
TEXT: Matthew 5:43-48
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
MESSAGE
One major challenge the Church is facing today is selective obedience.
As followers of Christ, we must abide by the standards He set for us, irrespective of our personal views about worship. In our text, our Lord Jesus calls us for higher standards.
We are to extend our love to our perceived enemies. Jesus in His earthly ministry clarified that loving one’s neighbour was the second greatest of all God’s commandments (Matt. 22:36-39).
As Christians, we must learn to do things in line with divine directives.
In Acts 24:16, Apostle Paul says; “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offence towards God and man.” Expand your scope of love to accommodate those who may have wrong you.
Loose those you have something against their lives in your heart and let them go.
Develop practical act of forgiveness; come up higher in your Christian maturity. Win others for Christ through your lifestyle. You will never lose when you do things to please God.
Prayer: Help me O God today to seek reconciliation with those that I am not in good term with.
