4 November Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God, which this week explores a book a lot of Christians spend very little time with: Second Timothy. May you meet God in unexpected ways this week.

2 Timothy 2:16 Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety.

You may have noticed by now how many of my children writing to the early church talked about the dangers of gossip. In that new and fragile community, gossip could destroy a burgeoning movement. In your faith community, gossip can destroy people’s trust in my followers in lasting ways. How might you help your community represent me better in the world through only kind speech and only direct speech?

For more love notes from God all week:

28 October Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God, as imagined by Sandhya! This is one of 366 devotions Sandhya wrote, alternating between each book of the Hebrew Bible and each book of the New Testament, wondering what word of love God might have for us shaped by the Bible’s commitment to community and compassion, not just personal piety as so many devotions are written. Here’s hoping this devotional journey is a meaningful one for you as a person of community and compassion.

1 Thessalonians 4:12-13 But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

So many of the letters in the early church were about resolving conflict, creating structures, dismantling pre-existing hierarchies and sometimes creating new ones. Not everyone loved giving up power and following the guidance and wisdom that their old culture and religion said now had authority. How many of the new converts from merchant cities, people of wealth, would normally have signed up to be led by a bunch of fishermen from an outlying region of little importance? My path often upsets existing power structures. This can create tension, but my faithful children can come through it. Today, reflect on where power structures need to change, who will be affected, and how unity in my Son might help people move into a new way of being.

For more love notes from God all week:

21 October Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God, right here every Wednesday through the end of the year!

Nahum 2:19 There is no assuaging your hurt,

   your wound is mortal.

All who hear the news about you

   clap their hands over you.

For who has ever escaped

   your endless cruelty?

My beloved child Nahum, whose name means “Comforter,” wrote words of challenge to oppressors and words of comfort to those who suffered at the hands of tyrants. He knew that my compassion resides with the suffering, and he spoke out against those who were cruel. Today I invite you to reflect on whether there is a little Nahum in you, and which tyrant you might need to speak against so that people may not suffer under their cruelty any longer.

For more love notes from God all week:

14 October Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

Romans 8:22-25 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

My precious children in the church of Rome chose to follow my Son because they were promised he would return. They believed he would return in their lifetimes. My beloved son Paul (who also believed he would live to see Jesus’ return even though he hadn’t met him in person before my Son’s crucifixion) wrote these words to comfort and encourage his flock. Today I invite you to reflect on something this world may never see, and I ask you to hope for it anyhow. Hope is how generations of faithful Christians have ended up creating glimpses of my Kindom on earth—hope followed by action is one of the most faithful acts you can perform in the face of a world that tells you something can never happen.

For more love notes from God all week:

7 October Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

Daniel 8:18-19 Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name. We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people bear your name!’

How many people in your city are lifting up this kind of prayer to me? And what do those prayers seek? I keep listening for prayers seeking healing, seeking redemption, seeking a new way of being community in the days to come. I listen for prayers that are humble and confess the limitations of a people. Are your people praying the prayers that my son Daniel prayed for his people? What might your community look like if they did?

For more love notes from God all week:

30 September Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

John 20:27-29 Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Often people read this story as a story of judgement on “Doubting Thomas.” But my Son offered this proof to his beloved brother because he knew how much pain must be pressing in on Thomas, how hurt he was at losing someone he loved so much. And he also knew how much more he was asking of you, that you believe even when he is not standing there with you in physical form. So today I ask you to close your eyes and imagine your brother Jesus with an arm of comfort around you, encouraging you and showing you support and love. You deserve to know the love of your brother Jesus.

For more love notes from God all week:

23 September Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues,

   but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

It takes courage to stand by my word and my teachings. This proverb is true, but it ignores the fact that much evil in this world happens because my children stand by and permit it. Only my most faithful servants stand bold as lions for what is right. And sometimes good people are seduced by promises of more safety or more comfort and turn a blind eye to the wickedness that buys them the illusion of safety and comfort. Today I invite you to reflect on where the world needs your boldness in standing for justice and compassion. This world needs you. Be bold for my sake, for the sake of the kindom here on earth, and for my children who suffer so others can be comfortable.

For more love notes from God all week:

16 September Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

Hebrews 6:10 or God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

This is all I ask of you—extend kindness to all those in whom you encounter the divine spark…and remember that I am in every child who walks this earth. No matter what the world says to you, if you are caring for those in need, those who are ignored, those who need compassion, then I will see that and celebrate it. Your every act of kindness brings me great joy. I see you and I honor you and I love you.

For more love notes from God all week:

9 September Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

1 Chronicles 22:2-5 David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. For David said, ‘My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.’ So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

Some of our work spans generations. Take comfort in knowing that my son Solomon’s vision of building a temple to honor me happened because his father invested in and supported him. Today I invite you to reflect on your dreams to honor me and invite someone into the role of supporting you in achieving them. You were not meant to be alone in this work.

For more love notes from God all week:

2 September Liberating Love Devotion

Your weekly love note from God!

Colossians 3:1-2 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

My children so often seek the path of the least resistance. But lack of resistance rarely leads to resurrection. By judging yourself against those around you, you will never reach great heights. By focusing on my Son, your vision will always be pointed towards what matters. Today I long for you to know that I want for you far more than the world can offer. You deserve things that are above.

For more love notes from God all week: