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The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8, LSB

What does it mean to love? When I say this line, it makes me think of the Haddaway song made famous with the SNL skit with Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan. Love is not the pursuit of self-pleasure but the full giving up of oneself for another. In love, we set aside our self-interest for the pursuit of what is best for the whole. This is the Christian pursuit, to lead others to know the One who brings life eternal, often at the expense of comfort and sometimes position. Our world is lonely. People are fearful of committing to another because of past hurts. Marriages crumble because they are not happy. The family unit splinters because they can’t always agree. Relationships are cut off because it is more important to pursue one’s personal mental health. We live in a narcissistic world that wants to compartmentalize everything, but Christ calls to us from the Cross and desires to set all this aside and bring us into the fold, so He may lead us in His love and pour upon us His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.