Morning by Morning—Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays: "Live in Love" Like Jesus

Thursday, September 17, 2020

"Live in Love" Like Jesus - September 17, 2020

Morning by Morning, September 17 - "Live in Love" Like Jesus

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart to lead me in Your ways today -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Help me "live in love" like You, Lord. As a child of God, I want to grow up to be like You, Daddy -- my "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15). You revealed Yourself in Jesus Christ. You showed us how to "live in love" through all He did and all He said as He walked this earth. And now His Spirit lives in us and loves through us (Romans 8:9).

So help me watch and learn. Help me learn to love, so I can "live in love." Help me grow up and become an expression of Your Father heart of love through my life, as an "imitator of God" whose core essence and abiding nature is love. "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them" (1 John 4:16).

Sometimes, living in love meant speaking the truth in love when the truth was pretty hard for some to hear (Matthew 12:34). Sometimes, living in love meant speaking words of spirit and life that were hard to receive by some (John 6:63). And sometimes, living in love meant not speaking at all with words but speaking volumes through the obedient surrender of Your will and sacrifice for us, even the face of insult and injustice (Mark 14:61). So whether speaking or silent, whether through surrender or sacrifice, You set before us an example of how to "live in love" like You, Lord Jesus.

As said in the Message, "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that" (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG).

So by the power of Your Spirit at work within me, teach me and empower me to "love like that," to "live in love" today -- unselfishly and extravagantly, but more consistently like You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you be empowered by the Holy Spirit, abiding in your spirit, to live in love like Jesus today, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!