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Can You Feel the Love? – Today’s Family Devotion

Can You Feel the Love?

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:11-15
Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us. 2 Corinthians 5:14
Okay, make a quick list in your head of people you love. Who makes it onto your list?

  • parents?
  • grandparents?
  • siblings-at least a chunk of the time?
  • close friends?
  • a pastor or Sunday school teacher or youth leader?

Here’s another question: So who loves you back?
You probably get lots of love from loads of people—and pets. But did you notice anyone important missing from the list above? There’s someone else who probably tops your list of loved ones-and your list of those who love you back.

It’s God.

Yep, I did ask you to name “people.” But even though God isn’t a human being, he is a personal being. He created you, and he wants you to experience his incredible love for you.

There’s a problem: Sensing God’s love can be hard. We can’t see him and we can’t touch him. Lots of times we won’t even feel him.

God puts people in our lives for a big reason: to make his love for us feel solid. If we want to know about God’s love, human love is a huge hint. It’s a gigantic way he demonstrates his love for us. The apostle John put it this way: “Love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

Whenever we feel human love, it’s God wrapping his arms around us: Parents change messy diapers, referee fights, and provide you with food and clothes and lots more. Husbands and wives commit to love each other through their whole lives. And every time someone runs errands for a shut-in, provides meals for a sick friend, do¬nates money to help the poor, helps a neighbor move furniture, or performs some other loving deed, God’s love shines through human behavior.

As a Christian, you’re someone who shows God’s love to others. He works through you, for “Christ’s love controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Love is from God. And people who experience true love from you will sense that God cares.

TALK: God has surrounded you with human love so you will know he loves you. How do you best see God’s message of love to you?
PRAY: When people love us, God, help us remember that you are the source of that love. Thanks for showing us your love in solid ways.
ACT: Make God’s love visible today by showing love to someone who needs it.