Nov 20 2021

For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Today's verse comes from Jesus' final discourse, which happened the night of the crucifixion. Jesus says that the day is coming when the disciples will be able to talk to God themselves. Because they have loved Jesus, God loves them. Jesus is explaining that loving Him and loving God are the same thing because Jesus and God are the same being … the great and mighty God from the very beginning of the world. When we pray to the Lord, we are praying to both the Father and Son. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed when I think about praying to God—the very one who created the universe! To some extent, being overwhelmed is expected; God is much bigger and more powerful and holier than we will ever understand. But His overwhelming magnificence is matched by His tender, merciful love, which we see most clearly through Jesus. So whenever we want to know what God is like, we need only look at Jesus. Jesus was tender to people. He cared for their needs and was not quick to judge. He listened to others when they spoke to Him and sought to help them. His greatest concern was for their spiritual state, and He was willing to do what was necessary for them to experience the love and truth of the Gospel.

We see this most clearly when He gave up His life for us on the cross. He was willing to be physically broken, openly despised, and separated from God so that we might come to know Him. As He told the disciples the night before, there is no greater love than giving up your life for your friends (John 17:17). Jesus exhibited this kind of love, and in doing so displayed the love of God—the same God who spoke the universe into existence—for all eternity. We can remember this in our prayers. We do not pray to an indifferent savior but instead a mighty, loving God who loves us more than we will ever comprehend. His power and glory and might are matched by His love for us, which will endure forever.

Dear Lord, thank you so much for answering my prayers. Thank you for listening to me and caring for me. I am so grateful for your love, Lord. Please help me to share it with other people, and to always remember that you loved me before I ever knew you. In Jesus' name, amen.

Nov 19 2021

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