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Devotional 6.19.25

 

June 19, 2025 – Rooted in Love

 

Deuteronomy 7:9 

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

 

Scripture Reading - Ephesians

 

This weekend will be Lakeside’s fourth annual retreat at Beulah Beach. Our theme this year is Worship: To the Praise of His Glory. The focus will be Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as we reflect on the who, what, why and how we worship God, and what that means for us as believers and followers of Christ. Ephesians is a complex book. It’s six chapters could be a year’s worth of sermons in the details, nuances and themes that Paul presents, and yet it’s practical and accessible to each and every one of us.

 

One of those themes is an undercurrent throughout the book that the entire message hinges on being rooted in love. Consider the following: 

·      In chapter 1 love is an Action Word. All of the actions of God which offer us the spiritual blessings described have been done “in love” (v. 4). Paul gives thanks for the active love of the Ephesian church toward all the saints (v. 15). God acted in love and the saints respond to him, and to one another, in love. 

·      In chapter 2 love is transitional and transformative, But God. The Ephesians (and us) were dead, sons of disobedience, children of wrath (vv. 1-3). But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us … made us alive together with Christ (v. 4, 5). 

·      Chapter 3 calls us to be Rooted and Grounded in Love (v. 17), and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (v. 19)

·      Chapter 4 describes an Active Love: bearing with one another in love (v. 2); speaking truth in love

(v. 15); build the body of Christ up in love (v. 16).

·      Chapter 5 calls believers to Walk in Love, specifically to model the way Christ walked in love. Christ loved us and gave himself up for us (v. 1). Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (v. 25).

·      Paul gives a beautiful summary in his benediction at the end of chapter 6: Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with loveincorruptible. (vv. 23-24).

The songs we’ll sing on Sunday morning underscore these themes. Only a Holy God invites us to come and worship a holy God. As the Deer describes an active heart response to our Holy God – “you alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you.” Before the Throne of God Above declares that “Christ is my savior and my God.” Finally, Grace offers a beautiful summary that echoes Ephesians 6:24, “by grace I am redeemed and restored.”                                           

Further reading: 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 16:22-24; 1 John 4:16

Reflection Questions:

  1. How does being rooted in love affect who, what, why and how we worship God?
  2. How does being rooted in love affect how you “maintain the unity of the Spirit” (4:3) with other believers?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your active, steadfast, saving love! You alone are worthy of all my worship in response! Help me to model that sacrificial love in my interactions with others. Amen.


You can listen to the retreat playlist here.



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