40-Day Worship Experience Youth DevotionalSample

It’s always been amazing to me how many songs, movies, poems, and books revolve around the theme of love. Everywhere you look, people are talking about love, singing about love, and writing about love. I can’t think of any other topic or emotion that even comes close in popularity.

This shouldn’t be a surprise, though. God is love, and we were created in His image. Therefore love is both a natural and a divine thing. It connects us to God, and when we love, we reveal God.

Someone once asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37–39).

The fact that Jesus summed up all of God’s commands under these two things—love God and love others—is important. Love is at the center of our souls and our connections. It’s not just a detail, a luxury, or a nice thought. It’s essential to our health and wellbeing. Love, like gratitude, triggers the release of important hormones such as serotonin, which helps stabilize our mood, gives us a sense of well-being and happiness, and improves our physical bodies. You were created with a physical, mental, and emotional need to dwell in love.

This morning, make love a focus of your prayers. Allow the presence of God (who is love, remember!) to infuse you with his heart. Pray, “Jesus, I love You,” and let love from God and toward God take center stage in your life.

Reflect

Why do you think Jesus said all rules and laws can be summed up in loving God and loving people? How does God’s love for you help you love other people better?