NOVEMBER 9, 2012
A
Fragrance
Read: 1 John 4:7-11
If God
so loved us, we also ought to love one another. —1 John
4:11
Katie
nervously walked into the church youth group party that Linda
had invited her
to attend. She hadn’t been to a church since she was
a little girl and didn’t
know what to expect at a Valentine dinner with
mostly strangers. But her heart
started to calm when she found
valentines at her plate that had been written
for her from everyone
there. They had cards for each other too, but it touched
Katie’s heart
that they would think to do that for her, a visitor to their
group.
Katie
felt so welcomed that she accepted Linda’s invitation to a church
service.
There she heard about God’s love for her in spite of her sinfulness,
and she
embraced Jesus’ forgiveness. The youth group had given her a
fragrance of God’s
love, and God opened her heart to trust Him.
“If
God so loved us, we also ought to love one another,” the apostle
John said (1
John 4:11). That’s a love for our brothers and sisters in
Christ as well as for
those who don’t yet know Him. Ray Stedman
wrote, “As God’s love shines into our
hearts, we become more open
to others, allowing the fragrance of love to drift
out and attract those
around us.” The youth group did that for Katie.
God
can spread the fragrance of His love through us today.
Lord, I’m so thankful that because You first loved me,
I am able to love others. Please spread the sweet
fragrance of Your love through me to everyone
I interact with today. Amen.
A godly life is a fragrance that draws others to Christ.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
