June Devotions: 7 Truths About God’s Love
Photo by Phil Botha
MONDAY
Today, God’s Love Is Sufficient for You
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Cor. 12:9 NASB)
God’s love for you is enough. It covers you completely and fills in the holes where you are weak (where you are still growing up in Him).
Your weak places don’t have to be points of shame, because they show off His love more as it is made perfect there.
Today’s activity: Think of one place where you are struggling, and ask God to fill that place with His love. Write down this brief prayer in your own words, and stick it in a place where you’ll see it easily. Pray it often—and expect to see God answer you.
May your Monday be blessed, and may you experience the Lord’s love in the places of struggle.
TUESDAY
Today, God’s Love Isn’t Based on Your Performance
By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world. Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. (1 John 4:17–18 TPT)
Punishment is related to performance, and performance doesn’t have a role in God’s love for us. His love and our fear of performing poorly don’t go together. When we know we’re loved, we start to realize it’s okay that we aren’t perfect yet.
When we’re confused by something, we’re still loved. When we mess up, we’re still loved. When we don’t know what to do—or we do the wrong thing—we’re still loved. We can run to our Father the way little children run to their daddy, knowing he’ll scoop them up and cuddle them.
Today’s activity: Pick one thing you’re afraid of: falling short, getting in trouble, being rejected, not being good enough, etc. Purposefully “pick up” that thing and give it to God (Ps. 55:22). The next time you’re tempted to be afraid of it, remember you gave it to Him and you can trust Him.
May your Tuesday be blessed, and may you come to realize God’s love for you in a new way.
WEDNESDAY
Today, God’s Love Accepts You Just as You Are
A man came to Jesus with a bad skin disease. This man got down on his knees and begged Jesus, saying, “If You want to, You can heal me.” Jesus put His hand on him with loving-pity. He said, “I want to. Be healed.” (Mark 1:40–41 NLV)
Here are a few things this short story tells us:
1. When we’re in bad shape but go to God for help, He accepts us. Right then. As we are.
2. He will never drive away the person who comes to Him (John 6:37).
3. He is tender and compassionate toward all He’s made (Ps. 145:9 NIV).
When we come to God, we find Him. That is what His love is like, and we can rest in His love, knowing He fully accepts us.
Today’s activity: Do you believe that God wants you? That He really, truly does? Ask Him to tell you more about His heart as seen in Mark 1. How does this story apply to YOU?
May your Wednesday be blessed, and may you come to see Jesus more and more clearly.
THURSDAY
Today, God’s Love Is Your Strength
God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. (John 3:16–17 NOG)
Somewhere along the way, many of us start to think that part of being a believer in Jesus means hiding the places inside us that we’re embarrassed about. We don’t realize what He’s doing: that these areas will get to see His love too.
Jesus didn’t come to the earth to blow us apart because of our sin. He came to save us. We get to know His love, His grace, and His joy-filled laughter (Zeph. 3:17). His strength is made perfect in us because of who He is, not because we’ve figured things out and have it all together. We get to rely on His strength to carry us forward, not our strength, and His strength will never fail.
Today’s activity: If you feel at any level that you are not good enough for God, if any part of your heart feels shame, here’s a prayer you can pray:
Lord, would You come and show me how much You love me in the very places where I am weak? I know Your love is bigger than I understand, so would You help me understand it? In Jesus’ name, amen.
May your Thursday be blessed, and may your heart rejoice in God’s love.
FRIDAY
Today, God’s Love Is Worth the Waiting
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along. (Ps. 40:1–2 NLT)
Notice the “steps” in this verse:
1. The person patiently waited for the Lord to help them.
2. The Lord helped them.
Don’t be afraid when you have to wait for God. Waiting happens. There is often a wait with Him, and as we wait, as we choose to keep trusting Him, we start to realize that the wait is okay. We’re waiting with Him, which is the answer. This isn’t waiting the way the world understands it. There’s something sacred about this wait, because our eyes are on the Lord.
Whatever He’s told you—that thing will happen, because He told you. He will bring about what He said, and He will get you where you’re going, even if the timing is not what you expected.
Today’s activity: What are you waiting for? What has God told you about, and what are you hoping to see? Declare your trust in Him and that you know He’ll do exactly what He said.
May your Friday be blessed, and may you be confident in the Lord’s affection for you.
SATURDAY
Today, God’s Love Is Uncomplicated
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it… Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 7:18–20; Rom. 8:1 NIV)
Many of us have a tendency to make our relationship with God harder than it actually is. He created it to be childlike. It’s okay that we don’t do everything right. It’s okay each time we come face-to-face with the areas where we still need healing. Who will save us from “this body of death”? Jesus will. He does. He is doing it—exactly what we need.
Do you want Jesus? Then you can have Jesus. Don’t make the process harder than it is. Just approach Him like a child. As a child is the only way we can understand certain things about Him.
Today’s activity: Think of one area in your life where you’re struggling. Bring that area to God and tell Him, “I trust You with this.” Write this prayer down and pray it often.
May your Saturday be blessed, and may you know the Lord’s love at a deep level.
SUNDAY
Today, God’s Love Is Sharing Its Wisdom with You
There’s a private place reserved for the devoted lovers of Yahweh,
where they sit near him and receive
the revelation-secrets of his promises. (Psalm 25:14 TPT)
The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant. (NASB)
If you have questions about something, Psalm 25:14 tells you exactly where to go to get those questions answered. Take your questions into God’s presence, ask Him for wisdom, and expect Him to answer you (Jas. 1:5).
Today’s activity: Think of a question you’ve been asking. Maybe it’s about your dating life. Maybe you want to get married, but you don’t know anyone. Maybe you have a question about something that’s happening in the country or at your job. Take that question to the Lord, and ask Him for wisdom. Speak James 1:5 out loud, and know it’s true for you (and for your question):
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (NIV)
May your Sunday be blessed, and may your heart OVERFLOW with God’s love.
Does your heart need to remember who God is? Check out these other devotions:
For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.