Let us examine what it means to love sacrificially and how to put it into reality in our daily lives in this daily devotional.

» Friday, 7th March 2023 | I Stand In The Gap Daily Devotional | Loving Sacrificially.

  • Today’s daily devotional: “Loving Sacrificially”

Anchore verse of the day

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 3:16 (NKJV)

This verse refers to the selfless, yet sacrificial love that Jesus Christ showed on the cross by giving His life in exchange for us. It also urges Christians to emulate Jesus’ example of selfless love for others by being prepared to give their lives in order to protect their fellow Christians.

It underlines how important it is to demonstrate love in deeds as opposed to merely in words.

Central Theme in 1 John 3:16

  • Loving Sacrificially: That genuine love manifests itself via self-sacrifice, just as Jesus Christ did when He gave his life as a sacrifice for us.

Background

John urged believers to imitate Jesus’ sacrificial love by being prepared to give their lives to save others.

To the early Christian community, which frequently faced persecution for their faith and required one another’s support through trying times, this was a timely message.

Similar bible verse to 1 John 3:16

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 15:13 (NKJV)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

Both of these verses highlight the self-giving character of love, demonstrating how true love is ready to sacrifice one’s life for the sake of others.

Reflection on loving sacrificially

Christians are exhorted to love selflessly, as Christ loved us and sacrificed himself for us. It forces us to demonstrate our love for others in deeds as well as words, even to the point of giving our lives in their defense.

This entails prioritizing the needs of others over our own, displaying love and compassion, pardoning those who have harmed us, and being prepared to give selflessly in service to others.

When we demonstrate selfless love to the world, we become conduits for the grace and mercy of Christ.

May we strive to love others in the same way that Christ has loved us, and may this selfless love be the defining characteristic of our lives as we follow Him.

Let us pray

Father, we appreciate today the selfless love You have shown us in the person of Your son, Jesus Christ. Help us emulate this love by being ready to sacrifice ourselves for the benefit of others.

Give us the will and bravery to love selflessly even when it is uncomfortable or difficult to do so. We pray that You will be reflected in our deeds and that they will lead people to You.

We ask in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.