TODAY’S VERSE
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:8 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There are a lot of ways we can try to show that we are a Christian. We can go to church. We can attend religious programs. We can pray before meals. We can follow certain rituals. While these may be important, the real evidence that God is alive in our heart is our love for other people. Over and over again, the Bible teaches that God is not interested in our outward appearances, our sacrifices or our religious ceremonies. He is interested in our loving behavior. Are we forgiving, just, loving, kind and benevolent toward our families and those around us? If not, then we need to take time and get to know God better. Knowing God is transformational knowledge. John said that if we don’t love, we don’t know God. In the book of James we read, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” If the love of God is in our heart, then it will compel us to love. Paul shares this kind of love in I Corinthians 13. He writes, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” We say we know God but does our behavior back us up? If not perhaps we only know “about” God. Today, spend time with Him and let knowing Him translate into loving others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I confess that my actions don’t always confirm my belief in You. You are love and yet there have been many times that I have not been loving toward others. Forgive me. Help me today to know you better so I will be filled with Your love and go out and love others. In Jesus name.
AMEN

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
Knowing God helps me love others
Today, mediate on a time when you felt loved. Let it flood your heart. Sense how good it felt. Now picture God coming to you and loving you in the same way. Feel His loving presence fill you with peace and joy, so much that you feel like you must love someone else in the same way. Visualize yourself giving this same love to others. Watch them respond with the same peace and joy you did. Watch as one by one you love others in the same way God loves you.