Today’s Reading: Esther 9; Acts 7

Today’s Thoughts:  Looking for Love

And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16

There is a chorus of a song that says, "Looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces." Funny how true that is. We each have an innate desire to be loved and accepted just the way we are. We long for others to be kind, caring and selfless. We look for this kind of love from our families, friends and even neighbors, believing that we are giving this kind of love so others should give it back. However, the harder we look and the more we seek, the more discouraged and heartbroken we become. Why? Because we are looking for love in all the wrong places and in too many faces.

God is love. Love comes from God. If we are going to talk about love, look for love and try to love others, we need to learn from the Creator of love. Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Jesus laid down His life for us. He was willing to take on the form of a man and then lower Himself to the role of a servant to express His perfect love. The right place to look for love is at the cross and the only "face" that truly expresses love is Jesus'.

Jesus loves you. There is nothing you can do to receive more of His love and there is no sin so great that you can lessen His love for you. His love is constant. It is funny that we look for love, but when we find it, it is a hard thing to accept. Ask the Lord to open your heart today to be able to receive His love for you. Rest in His love and seek His face. Fill that void in your heart by knowing the true essence of Love. Then, instead of your looking for love in the faces of others, others will find it when they look at yours.