Presbyterian Men
June 19, 2016
As we reflect our heavenly Father’s love this Father’s Day, it becomes extremely important that all men show love for all of God’s creation. We must lift our hearts together, working together to spread God’s love.
The greatest blessing that God has given us is God’s love for us—God’s love that forgives our sins and makes us children of God; God’s love that brings us together into a fellowship with one another; God’s love that sends us forth to proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Savior. As God’s people we gather together to affirm to one another what is most important for us—God’s love. As Jesus reveals to us, “A new commandment I give to you: that you should love one another, even as I have loved you, you should love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We perform many functions and activities for the church, all of which are of vital importance to a congregation. They are wonderful and important to our life together. But if we do not do them out of love for God, if we do not love one another, we miss what God desires the most from us.
Jesus calls us to love— love that finds expression in kindness, courtesy, tolerance and acceptance of those around us. Jesus calls us to love one another and to bring that love to light in the way that we treat those around us. It’s easy to love people in general, to affirm that love is a good thing and something we all need. But it’s another thing altogether to put that love into action, to make love concrete in our attitudes and actions toward others. Someone once said, “We are judged by our actions, not our intentions.” Love one another. As a congregation of God’s people, we are called to care for one another, to set aside our preconceived notions of who is and who is not acceptable to God.
The ground at the foot of the cross is level; we are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the glory that God expects of us, but we are all received into God’s goodness by God’s grace, not by our own doing. It is God’s love that unites us and it is God’s love that we are called to share with one another. That means that our lives must be characterized by love in action. Jesus says, “As I have loved you, love one another.”
We must become the best we can be and share God’s love with our families, friends, business associates and all we come in contact with, for then all will know that we are God’s disciples.
Marvin Brangan, Moderator, National Council of Presbyterian Men
Let us join in prayer for:
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Tricia Wainscott, PMA
Anne Walker, PMA
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, thank you for all you have provided for us. Allow our lives to reflect the service and love you call us to share. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Morning Psalms 19; 150
First Reading Numbers 14:26-45
Second Reading Acts 15:1-12
Gospel Reading Luke 12:49-56
Evening Psalms 81; 113