Almighty God, let your love enable me to love others as generously as you love me. Forgive me when I fail to follow this clear and simple command. Please keep sending me opportunities to get it right. May I always share your love in everything I do and say.
In the last analysis, the commandment of love means this: no one is a stranger to you; every man’s welfare is your concern. [Albert Schweitzer]
Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors. [Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (MSG)]
I have a friend who needed to rent a truck to bring home all of the gifts she’d purchased this last weekend. She said she still has twenty-six more gifts to purchase for Christmas. God wisely kept His hand over my mouth as I pondered her words.
The first Christmas gift wasn’t wrapped in a gaudy box and laid under an ornamented tree in a beautifully decorated home. The first Christmas gift was wrapped in strips of cloth and laid in a feed trough in a stable. That first gift was a gift of sacrifice, forgiveness and love. Unlike today’s presents, that first gift will never break, go out of style, wear out, or need replacement batteries. The gift of Jesus is a present that continues to work it’s miracle of love and redemption. Lord, guide us so that the gifts we give at Christmas reflect your grace and not simply the depth of our pockets or the extent of our credit limits!
The best gift we can offer others is the gift of our time. A helping hand, a listening ear, simple words of encouragement and support: these are presents wrapped in love and caring. They may be small gifts handed out just now and then, but over the years they add up to so much. [Joel Osteen, from “The Christmas Spirit”]
Merciful Lord, we offer this prayer for those who are overwhelmed by their life’s difficulties. Take pity on them and heal their troubled souls. Encourage and empower them as they struggle with their problems. Reassure them of your unwavering love and renew their faith so they know you are with them at all times and in all places.
Oh Lord, thank you for pleasantly surprising me when people’s behavior has contradicted what I expected from their appearance. I think of the young man with spiked hair in skateboard attire (and his wife, with her piercings, crazy outfits and multi-colored hair) who minister to troubled youth; the tattooed young woman who joins in that ministry; the frail elderly man who builds houses for Habitat; the intimidating woman who surprised me with her gentle voice and loving spirit when she reached out her hand in friendship; the wealthy retired executive who stocks shelves at the food pantry and the unemployed day laborer who works with him; the multi-pierced woman with purple hair who counsels unwed mothers; the devout Arab Muslim who is a patriotic American; the teen in the gangster attire who is part of the music ministry; the motorcyclist who faithfully attends church every Sunday; and the list goes on.
Forgive me when I unfairly judge someone merely on their appearance, be it their race, sex, attire, the music they listen to, the car they drive, the job they have, or even the dog they are walking! Stereotyping and prejudice have no place in your kingdom. I expect people to give me the benefit of the doubt when they meet me; guide me, Lord, so I give them the same courtesy.
Fill us with your love, O Lord. Teach us to pay more attention to your positive message. Guide us so that we focus less on the shortcomings of those around us and more on their worth. Please, curb our critical spirits and remind us daily that we, too, have many faults! If you love us, with all our defects, we can surely find a way to love others as well.
Lord, show me how to be a peacemaker: a person who brings harmony and reconciliation, rather than conflict and discord, to every situation. In trying moments, keep me calm and give me patience. Remind me to be silent when I would rather criticize, keep me from responding to rudeness with a similar lack of courtesy, and lead me to prayer when an angry response is what I’d prefer!
Devotions of the Heart 