Before you begin today’s reading and reflection, take a few minutes to create or find a “sacred space”. If you’re in your room, make yourself a small space with as few distractions as possible. Put aside any books, music, magazines; turn off your phone; get away from your email/facebook; turn off your music; etc.

Now, pull out your Bible, and as you take some deep breaths, pray this short prayer: “Lord, help me be still and listen to your voice now and throughout this day and the next. Amen.”

(You can choose to read the whole chapter, or just the passage that is shown)

 

¹¹ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ¹² We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶ By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.¹⁷ But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

 

Reflection

1. Chapter at a Glance: John described God’s wonderful love for us, and the hope of being God’s children should motivate us to live pure lives.  Christ came to destroy sin, anyone truly born of God will not persist in sin but live righteously.  True righteousness includes loving one another, as Christ loved us.  This gives us confidence and assurance that we are abiding in Him and are of the truth.
   1. In the first and second century, the world did hate Christians.  The Christians refused to take part in public life because sacrifices offered to gods and goddesses were part of political and social gatherings.  Christians were condemned as atheists and haters of humanity, for to the pagan those who did not fulfill their civic responsibilities were regarded as attacking the social order.
   2. However, Christians were good citizens: honest, moral, responsible, but they were hated and many were killed.  John indicated that hatred came from sin, and is the mark of evil while love is the sign of good and godliness.
   3. To consciously practice Jesus-like love this week, how would you show that in your family? Church? Work? Community? Politics? And toward those you don’t like? Where does this call to love challenge you the most?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the  “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

Proverbs for Today 29:13-16

¹³ The poor man and the oppressor meet together;
    the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
¹⁴ If a king faithfully judges the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.
¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
¹⁶ When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
    but the righteous will look upon their downfall.