Psalm 31:23-24
Love the Lord, all his favored ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, but he pays back in full the one who acts proudly. Be strong, and let your heart be firm, all you who wait confidently for the Lord.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Be with us today as we contemplate what these words mean to “Love the Lord!” So to love someone or something could be compared to choosing that over everything else, giving it the highest priority in our lives. Loving the Lord (you) is more than speaking the words; love comes from the heart, meaning we choose you over everything else. The problem is that we are sinful; our human desire only wants to love ourselves—self-love rather than selfless love.
Fortunately, we are not left on our own; you love us. You chose us and sent your Son to save us. Jesus always chose your will over his own and us over himself; he loved you and us. He willingly gave himself to suffer and die on the cross to redeem us from all our sinful ways; for all the times we all miss the mark of loving you above all other things. So Jesus suffered on the cross for every sin. Especially when people become proud of themselves and brag about their sinful desires. You pay back in full those who act proudly.
But to the faithful who love You, You give them eternal life. So we also ask that You strengthen our faith in You so we would hold to Your word. So that as the world tosses and churns in all its chaos, we can be strong, knowing you will preserve your faithful people with everlasting life. We can confidently wait for you because you have chosen and loved us.
Please be with us so that out of love for you, we will also love others around us and make a point to share the good news of your love and will for them. So that by your Holy Spirit, they would also be faithful and inherit everlasting life. So no matter what happens in this life, let us confidently know that You chose to restore us to You. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
May the Holy Spirit create a new heart in you to love God so you will be confident in his love for you. God demonstrated his love by sending his Son to suffer in your place so that you would have forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life, a gift to you through faith.