Friday Nurturing Content - 02/02/24

Happy Friday, Friend!

Welcome to February! Our shortest month gets an extra day this year, thanks to Leap Year. Let’s make sure to use that extra day wisely!

This month’s theme is: Love God, love others.

It seems so simple and it is, in fact. But, it’s also elaborate. Take a look here at Matthew 22:34-39:

“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

When asked by a lawyer (a Pharisee) what the greatest commandment of the Law was, Jesus simply replied, “love.” Now, being a man of the law, that lawyer was very well trying to trip up Jesus.

And yet, His answer wasn’t a wise remark or another opinion to give the religious leaders further debate. No. Jesus' answer reveals the very heart of God and easily sums up the entire law in the Bible with two simple commands—Love God, love others.

Despite being simple, these two commands are also elaborate because of how intricately they are woven into God’s own love for us!

Scripture is full of verses that profess our Creator’s love for His Creation (Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 36:7, John 3:16, Romans 8:37-39). God has loved us from the very beginning and, even after the first sin of mankind, continued to love us through each and every generation. The pinnacle of His love for us was the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus, to restore us into right living with Him and return to us our inheritance as His children.

If that isn’t real love, then I don’t know what is!

But, God’s love isn’t a one-way street. While there is nothing you can do to make God love you more or less, there is a certain expectation—that we, in return, love Him and also love our neighbors. We show our love for God by keeping His commandments and maintaining a relationship with Him (John 14:23, 1 John 5:3). When we do these things, we become transformed and are then able to demonstrate our love outwardly toward others. We show God how we love Him by loving others (1 John 4:7-8). And, we show others God’s love by loving them (John 13:34-35).

I invite you to join me this month in diving deeper into God’s love and allowing it to transform us from within so that we may truly know and live out what it means to love others as Christ Himself has loved us!

Dedicated to your success,

Tam

P.S. Take a look at our February Success Guide for more Scripture and a prayer focus to help you get started! Also, don’t forget to participate in our Monthly Challenge this month, which includes writing love letters! 💌