40 Day Devotionals 2014 Day 20

Weekends are starting to kick my butt! I think not sleeping isn't helping much. I know this because Monday's are really hard days to get motivated and started. I need to start balancing out my life. Hence my new workout routine. I am hoping with starting to workout again I can get myself motivated again and sleeping on a semi-regular schedule. I really only have about 120 days til the baby arrives if it stays on schedule. So that means I only have a few more days where I can still have some control over my life.
I am accustomed to living for others though. I always tend to put my family and friends before my needs. No, I'm not bragging, it can actually be unhealthy at times. I have learned to balance it over the years, especially being full-time in ministry. 
I am however looking forward to the challenge of balancing life, marriage, ministry, friends and family.

Day 20

Scripture

John 15: 12-14

-          ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command.

Wisdom

-          Jesus tells us that we cannot love each other more than to lay our lives down for our friends. And if you obey His commands, you are His friend. If you will recall from previous devotionals, we spoke of how Jesus wants us to obey His commands; love one another and spread His word. Simple. And if we do that He will lay His life down for us. And He did.

-          Think of a parent and for many of you parents out there you will understand; parents love their children. They would jump in front of a moving truck in order to save their child. Risk of death or injury is not what comes to mind when it comes to protecting your children.

-          I remember when I was younger I lived like this for my friends. I totally resonated with the idea that I should always be there for my friends without concern for my mental, physical, or emotional well being, naively so. I quickly learned that not all people reciprocated that concern for me. As I matured in my faith I learned how to balance that through the love and compassion Christ has shown me. However, that selfless personality has translated over to my ministry.

-          The scriptures tell us that when we were disobedient, meaning while we weren’t even obeying His commands, Jesus came down and died for us. Wow, that is how much He loves us! Our Father guides, protects, and loves us. He will always be there for us. He has our greatest interest and desires at heart. How amazing that the creator of everything would love us this way!

-          Now, for Him, let’s do what He asks for us.

Apply

-          Do you experience God’s love in this way? Have you stopped to think of all the times He has protected you and taken care of you?

-          Do you love your friends and family in a way that God loves us? Maybe not lay your life down, but love without abandon?

-          How will your relationships change with your friends and family if you love them the way Jesus loves you?

Prayer

-          Praise God for loving you the way He does. Ask Him for the Heart to love others like He loves us. Pray He continues to love us regardless of our disobedience. Ask Him to help you and your families grow a closer relationship.