Walking in the Way of Love
What does that even mean?
Verse of the Day
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Today’s Devotional
If someone came up to me and said, “Just walk in the way of love” I would have no idea what they actually meant. So let’s break it down.
My Bible titles this section of Scripture as “Instructions for Christian Living”. It discusses turning from sinful ways and deceitful desires, having a new attitude and a new self that was created to be like God. We are to be truthful, not let anger linger nor cause sinful behavior, work so that we may have something to share, speak in a wholesome and edifying manner and not grieve the Holy Spirit by holding on to negative and harmful things. We are to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.
We are to follow God’s example. That’s a tall order. I cannot be God because I am human and flawed. But I can follow His example. I cannot create a human or a flower, but I can appreciate His creations and treat them well. If God is love, and I believe that He is, then I can ask Him to teach me to love. I need to learn to love God well, then myself, then others. It all starts with accepting God’s love, and Jesus came to show us what that looks like.
We are to know that we are dearly loved children of God. That fact sometimes baffles me. But the entire story of the Bible proves that God loves each one of us. He seeks and pursues us without forcing himself on us. He gave us rules to help us know how to live, and we distorted them. He gave us messengers when we strayed to try to help us correct the error of our ways. He allowed difficult situations to discipline us. He allowed consequences for our bad behavior so that hopefully we would learn the much needed lessons. He sent his Son to die so that we could be reunited with our Father. He gave us the Spirit to live inside of us to help, guide and counsel us. God’s love for us is overwhelming.
We are to walk in the way of love. How? Just as Jesus did. He loved us so much that he sacrificed His own physical life to save my soul. So I can emulate that love by offering my physical comfort and desires to go on the back burner and put someone else’s needs ahead of my own. I can share Jesus with someone, which is putting their need for salvation ahead of my discomfort or fear of their opinion of me. I can choose to see bad behavior in another as a symptom of a problem instead of reacting out of anger. I can seek out opportunities to serve instead of waiting until I’m asked. I can take advice and suggestions as a means to help me grow instead of seeing it as criticism. I can stop seeing the world as though it revolves around me and my desires. I can listen without planning what I need to say next. I can be present with the people God has placed in my life and behave in a way that they know their importance in my life. I can acknowledge that the process of learning and growing will never end, for this is the epitome of self love. I can stop my mouth from complaining and criticizing, and instead speak of things for which I am grateful.
My actions that are based on love are a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. I’d love for today’s fragrance and sacrifice to be beautiful for God. Not to prove anything. Simply as a way of saying thank you.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Do you ever struggle to follow the good examples in your life, instead having to learn lessons the hard way?
Do you know, down to your core, that you are a dearly loved child of God?
What does walking in the way of love look like in your life today?
How can you offer a fragrant sacrifice to God with your actions today?