Daily Devotional
How to Tell How Much You Love God
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.”
Luke 15:25-28
September 30, 2021
Ponder This
How are you going to measure your love for God? One way to measure your love for the Father is by your love for your brother. You can’t see God the Father, but you can see your brother. In a very practical way, that which we can see is that which we can measure. In our church kitchen, and in many church kitchens, we have big coffee urns. They put the coffee on the inside, and on the outside, there’s a glass tube that runs up and down. And you can tell what’s on the inside by looking at that glass tube that’s transparent. As the liquid goes up and down in that glass tube, you know what’s on the inside.
Similarly, our love for our brother is that which can be seen, which is the absolute measurement of what is on the inside. Now you would think that this elder son who was out in the field—when he came home and saw that they had killed the fatted calf, they were having a party, they were dancing, and they were making merry—would have said, “Praise God. Hallelujah. Our prayers have been answered. My brother has come home. What a wonderful day. I wouldn’t blame my dear old dad if he overdid the festivities just a little bit.” But he wasn’t that way. As a matter of fact, he was a poor son because he was a poor brother.
- Read John 13:34-35. How does this passage reflect the truth that our love for God is seen in our love for our Christian brothers and sisters?
- If someone measured your love for God solely by the way you love other Christians, how much evidence would they find of your love for God?
Practice This
Take action this week to show love to Christian brothers and sisters in specific ways.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
