JOYCE MEYER DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR OCTOBER 21, 2022 (LOVE—EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T DESERVE IT!)
TOPIC: LOVE—EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T DESERVE IT!
SCRIPTURE: But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. Romans 5:8 (AMPC)
One of the most beautiful things the Bible says is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He did not wait for us to deserve His love; He loves us unconditionally. To be honest, that’s hard for many of us to comprehend because we are so accustomed to having to earn and deserve everything in life. God is rich in mercy, and in order to satisfy the great, wonderful, and intense love with which He loves us, He poured His life out for us freely (see Eph. 2:4).
That is revolutionary love! Real, revolutionary love must give itself, for it can never be satisfied to do anything less. It is God’s unconditional love that draws us to Him, and it is our unconditional love toward others in His name that will draw others to Him. He wants us to love people in His place and do it the same way He would if He were here in bodily form.
Human love finds it impossible to love unconditionally, but we have the love of God in us as believers in Jesus Christ, and we can let that love flow freely, without conditions. Man’s love fails, but God’s does not. Man’s love comes to an end, but God’s does not. Sometimes I find that although I cannot love a person in my own human strength, I am able to love them with God’s love.
The true love of God doesn’t depend on feelings; it is based on decision. I will help anyone who needs help, unless helping them would ultimately hurt them. They don’t have to deserve it. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think the less they deserve it, the more beautiful and impacting it is. It is absolutely freeing to be able to love people without stopping to ask if they deserve it. Do you love others unconditionally? God wants you to love everyone, but you don’t have to do so in your own strength. Trust in His strength and love others with His love.
Prayer of the Day: Father, I know You want me to love everyone, but I cannot do it in my own strength. Please give me the strength to love others with your love, and help me love them unconditionally, amen.
Joyce Meyer 21 October 2022 Devotional for Friday
