Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist

1 Peter 4:8-10 (NIV)

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Reflection:

Who was your ultimate celebrity crush growing up? My best friends and I recently discussed this very critical information and immediately spouted off precisely who we claim and why we are still so infatuated with them after all these years. (Our answers shall be revealed at the end of this devotional. Consider it motivation to read through until the end!)

Within five minutes, however, we were all transported to a place of lament. Alas, our sorrow stemmed not from the fact that we shall never actually be with our “dream guys”… No, this dramatic twist in tone came from fear and loss caused by the pandemic.

As painful a turn as our conversation took, I was nevertheless grateful to enter this sacred, vulnerable space of sharing in their sadness. Look, do I prefer laughter over tears? Absolutely. But I am lucky enough to know what loving deeply is, and thus, what it entails: being there for one another when things get hard.

Grand, romantic love, may not happen to us often, but we all can have truly remarkable relationships. When I reflect on the incredible love of my family, for example, I consider our happiest memories: vacations, celebrations, victories. But I also transport myself to the really difficult remembrances: distress, mourning, disappointment. What stands out is not necessarily how much fun we have together (and we do have A LOT of fun), but rather, it is the faithful dedication to each other: an unwavering commitment to grow beyond the grief for the sake of this team we call our own.

This sacrificial love can only be attributed to one, miraculous covenant: God’s promise of unending devotion to his people. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” His great act of love—sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins—equips us with the model to mirror true benevolence and grace.

Because Christ’s love knows no bounds, our love can also be unrelenting. Real love is impossible to pin down in that it manifests itself in various, often messy, forms. One moment, it drives you to burst with joy and contentment; the next, it has you on your knees in anguish and despair. Instead of feeling hopeless or discouraged, however, we are able to turn our hearts toward God, never ceasing to call upon our convictions to serve those we cherish. Just as Jesus eagerly pursues and provides for us, so we should extend our gifts and blessings to others with great delight. Only when we achieve this level of compassion does our love become the best quality it can be: holy.

PS: As promised our celebrity crushes were a. Jonathan Taylor Thomas, b. Joe Jonas, and c. Hayden Christensen aka Anakin Skywalker. You can guess which one was mine…

Prayer:
Dear Lord, how deep your love is for us, how vast it is- beyond all measure. Never, never, never let me take this love for granted. May God bless each person in my heart, and please help me always make room for more. Thank you for this great gift that never ceases to astound me, God. Amen.