Here’s your weekly love note from God! Most daily devotionals focus on your personal relationship with God. As I re-read the whole book, I was struck that most of God’s teachings are to a community, not to an individual. So sometimes God whispered a word in my ear about community life. It’s a little different, but I think it might be pretty urgent for the moment we are in as much as it was for our spiritual ancestors.
Philippians 1:27-28a Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents.
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My son Paul took many risks to share my love and the love of my beloved Son Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire, constantly risking his life because he felt the love of Christ so deeply. The knowledge of Jesus Christ literally saved him from a life of violence justified by his religious commitments. So often my name has been used for the sake of violence. Paul’s message to the church in Philippi is my message to you and your spiritual community: I want to hear reports that you are standing together for the gospel of love, not bowing to any opponents who promote a false gospel of hate and judgment and violence. How is your faith community living into that practice together? How can you go deeper together?
For more love notes from God all week:
Sandhya Rani Jha 