by Desiree Bustamante

Christ expects us to show love to others every day.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.”
2 Thessalonians 1:3 New Living Translation

It’s always exciting, after a long winter, to see new growth from a dormant flower bulb. Often there will be more shoots than the previous year and you will anticipate more flowers to appear once the plant has reached maturity in the spring.

As we grow in the Lord and our faith flourishes, God wants our love to grow toward fellow believers and everyone else He created. He prepares some of us to plant the seed of faith in a heart and some to water that seed. He is the one who makes it grow, but He asks us to nurture it through the love of Christ blooming in us.

Today is a holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., designated as a time of service to the community. The unofficial motto is “It’s not a day off; it’s a day on.”

As believers in the community of Christ, all our days are “on” for our Lord. In God’s kingdom, everyone has a purpose and a mandate to love others, for we have been shown the ultimate love—the sacrifice of Christ for our sins and the gift of eternal life. When an opportunity arises today to serve and show God’s love to somebody, do so with His overwhelming love in your heart so that your love will point to Jesus’ love for them. No matter their response, loving others will always honor and please the Lord.

“And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.”
1 Thessalonians 3:12 New Living Translation

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Colorado Springs, Colorado