Friday, August 26 – John 15:13

“Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.”

When was a time another person sacrificed significantly for you? What did that mean for you, and how did that grow your relationship? Whether it was something you expected from a close friend or something that surprised you from a new acquaintance, there is a way that these moments of sacrifice bring people together. When we see someone sacrifices for us, we see their care for us in a deeper way. When someone sacrifices for us, it gives us the opportunity to rest instead of carrying a burden on our own.

In Jesus, we have the example of the ultimate sacrifice. He laid down His life so that we can find rest in God. Through Him, we can also love sacrificially. Through Him, we can truly be people of rest for others and point to ultimate rest in Him. In a world of instant gratification, we want sacrificial love for our benefit, but it is something we are often too busy to give. As we follow Jesus, we should be open to the opportunities God gives us to love others with the sacrifice He has exemplified to us. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” In Christ, we can love others this way and trust that as we sacrifice for others, He will cultivate authentic trust in Him that brings true rest.

• Who has sacrificed for you? What did that mean to you?
• Who can you love sacrificially today?
• Pray for God to open your eyes to opportunities to love others sacrificially.