God’s Great Love Cycle

Hello, I'm Xochitl Dickson. In today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, God's Great Love Cycle, I'm sharing a personal story. As a new believer in Jesus at the age of 30, I had lots of questions after committing my life to Him. When I started reading the scriptures, I had even more questions. I reached out to a friend, how can I possibly obey all God's commands?

I just snapped at my husband this morning. Just keep reading your Bible, she said, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you love like Jesus loves you. After more than 20 years of living as a child of God, that simple but profound truth still helps me embrace the three steps in His great love cycle. First, the Apostle Paul affirmed that love is central in the life of a believer in Jesus. Second, by continuing to pay the debt to love one another, followers of Christ will walk in obedience for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Finally, we fulfill the law because love does no harm to a neighbor. When we experience the depth of God's love for us, demonstrated best through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we can respond with gratitude. Our grateful devotion to Jesus leads to loving others with our words, actions, and attitudes. Genuine love flows from the one true God who is love. Loving God, help us get caught up in your great love cycle.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Romans chapter 13, verses 8 to 10. Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and whatever other command there may be are summed up in this one command, love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Let's pray. Loving God, thanks for loving us first. Please help us believe that you love us, even when we feel unlovable, even when we act unlovable because we've been deceived into thinking we are unworthy of love. Lavish us with your life transforming love so we can love you back and love others through the overflow of your endless love for us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.