Our Daily Bread 14 February 2024 Devotional ODB Message
Our Daily Bread 14 February 2024 Devotional ODB MessageRead Our Daily Bread 14 February 2024 Devotional, Wednesday ODB Message written by Kenneth Petersen and Today’s Insight By Alyson Kieda
TOPIC: Motivated by Love
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Bible in a Year: Leviticus 15–16; Matthew 27:1–26
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3
Today’s Scripture; 1 Corinthians 13
Insight: First Corinthians 13 is considered to be the love chapter of the New Testament. The love Paul describes is contrary to what our culture values and portrays. It has nothing to do with lust or satisfying one’s own needs. Instead, it’s directed outward toward others and is totally unselfish. Such love isn’t primarily an emotion but an active decision to stay engaged and remain connected. Yet this type of love is impossible apart from God’s work in us through the Holy Spirit. It’s the greatest of human qualities (v. 13) and an attribute of God Himself (1 John 4:8).
Our Daily Bread 14 February 2024 Devotional MESSAGE
Jim and Laneeda were college sweethearts. They got married and life was happy for many years. Then Laneeda began to act strangely, getting lost and forgetting appointments. She was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at forty-seven. After a decade of serving as her primary caregiver, Jim was able to say, “Alzheimer’s has given me the opportunity to love and serve my wife in ways that were unimaginable when I said, ‘I do.’ ”
While explaining the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul wrote extensively on the virtue of love (1 Corinthians 13). He contrasted rote acts of service with those overflowing from a loving heart. Powerful speaking is good, Paul wrote, but without love it’s like meaningless noise (v. 1). “If I . . . give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (v. 3). Paul ultimately said, “the greatest [gift] is love” (v. 13).
Jim’s understanding of love and service deepened as he cared for his wife. Only a deep and abiding love could give him the strength to support her every day. Ultimately, the only place we see this sacrificial love modeled perfectly is in God’s love for us, which caused Him to send Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16). That act of sacrifice, motivated by love, has changed our world forever.
REFLECT: How have you tried to serve others without love? How can a love for God and others inspire your actions today?
PRAY: Loving God, thank You for loving me. May my actions flow out of a loving heart today.
Our Daily Bread 14 February 2024 Devotional, Wednesday ODB Message. Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
