Lending/Loving - Expecting nothing in return
S - Luke 6:35 (NASB)
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men
O - Jesus is such a paradigm breaker. It's not that the Gospel and Christ's teachings are wrong, they are just so opposite of what feels like the natural instinct of our lives. Whether that is our nature, or the way society has influenced our world view. Bottom line for me is I must make effort to trust in the principle Jesus has laid out here. Love my enemies, lend with out expecting anything in return, and my return will be great. That just breaks something in my core; but I trust, and I know Jesus' is right. It is unforgiveness of enemies, and disappointed expectations of returns on loans that cause us to break relationships that Jesus would have restored. Ultimately the character laid out in this scripture is the character of our Father in heaven. He loves us, despite at times our treating him like an enemy, he gives to us freely without expectation of return.
A - The application for me is to realize that I must transform my mind, and influence my hands to live out the principles of loving those who oppose me, and giving freely to those who need. It can become a reality in my life through the restorative power of Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I must get back to being the creation God design me to be.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotion. Though I have struggled to seek you through devotions recently, and perhaps created seperation between us, you have been a faithful friend and father, and a giving and loving God, who continues to invest in me through your word and through your spirit. I thank you Lord for who you are, and what you have done for me.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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