January 25 – Devotional
Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:36-40
Key Verses: He [Jesus] replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.” – Matthew 22:37-39, CEB
The third Checkpoint in Future-Focused Church is Tangibly Loving Our Neighbors. In their discussion of this Checkpoint, the authors ask, “Would anyone miss our church if it closed down?” Stop. Think. Would anyone miss our church if it closed down? That is a gut-wrenching question. As members, we would miss our church, but would its closing impact our neighbors? From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is God’s love letter to humankind. First John 4:8 tells us God is love; Jesus said the commandment to love our neighbor is second only to loving God; and, on the night before He died, Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another. Can people look at our church and know we belong to Jesus by the way we love our neighbors?
Pray:
• How do churches love their neighbors? Specifically, how does First Houston United Methodist Church love its neighbors? Which neighbors would miss us if the church was not here to love them?
• What are some steps our church can take in the coming months to tangibly love our neighbors? How can we use what we already have to put God’s love into action?
Listen: With open eyes, ears, and heart, listen for God to speak to you now and throughout the day.
Share: You can share your thoughts where you feel best. You can share your thoughts in your printed devotional booklet, you can share below in the comments, you can share a comment on our Facebook page, or you can share a comment on the First Houston United Methodist Church App by following the Daily Devotionals Channel.
