Focus

Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.

Read

Reflect

Is this passage making love an obedience-based action? It says “For the love of God is this, that we obey His commandments.” I have always struggled with King David and his life. He is described as someone after God’s own heart. But…who else in scripture was the cause of so much pain in the world. David disregarded the laws of God plenty of times. 

Yet, David’s greatest desire was to love and please God. Maybe there is something about intention, but not being good at it? I also think of Paul, who wants to do the good, but can not.  Maybe, we set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts. We desire to follow God’s commandments, but we just aren’t good at it.

But maybe that is ok, because God offers us new mercies every day. Scripture tells us to confess our sins, for God is graceful and just. So if you know you love God, but have failed, remember God in Jesus Christ has saved us, and invites us to start new again today.

Pray

Lord, forgive us for when we fail you. Remind us daily of Your love in Jesus Christ in every moment. Amen