We did it!

If you are reading this post - congratulations!  Today is the last of Love 40 days.

Thank you for sharing this journey.  Thank you for giving the time and the effort to stretch yourself to obey the commandment of John 13:34: Love one another.

We hope that while maybe not always easy, you have found this Lent challenge worthwhile.  We hope that you have found something new in this application of God's word that has allowed God to work in your life.  We hope that you have made a new connection, deepened an existing connection or re-established an old connection with somebody who needs to be loved by you.  We hope that you have been challenged and inspired during the past forty days.

It would be great to hear from you in the comments below if you made it to the end - even if you missed some days!  Don't forget you can share any of your favourite experiences, stories or verses in the comments, even today.

It has been a great 40 days.  But let's not leave it there.  While you might not be pulling out names next week, let's all continue to be on the lookout for the people that God is placing in our path as we continue to live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ...

Be blessed.  See you next year!!


Day 40: He lives...

Tomorrow we celebrate Easter Sunday - the day that changed the world forever.

The story of the resurrection is the most wonderful ending to the greatest love story ever told.  You can find it in John 20.  The Son of God, slaughtered like a common criminal, fulfils the prophecies of old and the words from his own mouth and rises again - claiming the victory over sin forever for everyone who believes in him.

In Romans 5:6-11, Paul summarised this amazing truth as follows:

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  Now, most people woudl not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation.  For since our friendship was God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

We are friends of God.  Let us live life as friends of God today - and love others with everything that we have.

For the kids:
Read the Easter story together in preparation for celebrating tomorrow.  Talk together about how this story makes you feel.  If you can, take time together to have a mini-Easter praise party - as loud and colourful as you like.  Encourage the children to express their thanks to Jesus for loving them in this amazing way however they most enjoy - and do the same yourself...

Day 39: Forgiven much...

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish by have eternal life.  (John 3:16)  This is love.  Today we remember the greatest act of love that anyone will ever show.

Try to take time today to read the story of Jesus's arrest, trials and crucifixion.  It never makes easy reading, but let it speak to your heart today.  A good place to find the story is John 18-19.

Jesus helps us to know how to respond to the enormity of the sacrifice that he made for us in Luke 18:13-14: But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.  Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
We all have a list of things that we wish we hadn't done.  Other people might think our list might be short, but we know that it is too long to write.  Our list is covered by the love of God - we do not need to be condemned by it.  But we should remember the words of Jesus in Luke 7:47: "I tell you, her sins - and they are many - have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love."

We know that are sins are many.  We know we have been forgiven much.  Let us show Jesus much love today.  And let us allow him to fill us so that we might show the people on our name slips much love too - so that they might understand the love and forgiveness that we celebrate today.

For the kids:
Take time as a family today to talk about the story of Good Friday - see how much the children already know and share the storytelling together.  One question the children may have is why we would call today "Good Friday" when Jesus died.  Try to explain what Jesus did for us in your own words and why the most awful sacrifice was a great thing for us.  Encourage the children to thank Jesus for what he did for us, and take time to say sorry for the bad choices we make which he paid for.

Day 38: Washing feet...

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day that we remember Jesus sharing the Passover Meal with his friends.  We remember Jesus breaking bread and sharing wine with his friends and encouraging them to continue doing so in remembrance of his sacrifice.  You can find the story of the Last Supper in Luke 22:7-30.  There are also two other parts of the story of Jesus' Passover evening to challenge us as we seek to finish up our 40 days of living a life filled with love, following the example of Christ...

Firstly, take a look at John 13:1-17.  Before the disciples sat down to eat together, Jesus washed their feet.  This was the job of the lowliest of servants, which was why Peter was initially adamant that Jesus should not wash his feet.  But Jesus was demonstrating that he came to serve - and we are seeking to follow his example.  Jesus says in John 13:14-17: Since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet.  I have given you an example to follow.  Do as I have done to you.  How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master.  Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them.  You know these things - now do them!  That is the path of blessing.

 

Washing feet was a cultural tradition - it would be up to you whether or not this is how you would choose to love the person on your name slip today.  But the action of serving another person in the lowliest of ways, truly serving their needs in a way that they don't expect, laying yourself on the line - that is the way that we are called to love today.

 

Secondly, take a look at John 17, Jesus' prayer following the Passover meal.  This is the prayer that Jesus prays for us: all who will ever believe in [Jesus] because of their testimony.  There is so much to take from this chapter.  John 17:22-26 says this: I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are - I in them and you in me, all perfected into one.  Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.  Father, I want these whom you've given me to be with me, so they can see my glory.  You gave me the glory because you loved me even before the world began!  O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.  And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you.  I will do this so that your love for me may be in them and I in them.

 

Let us pray that we may be united with Jesus and with each other in love.  Let us pray that through this unity the world - our person on the name slip - will know that Jesus was sent for them.  Let us pray that we - and our loved ones - would understand that God loves us as much as God loves Jesus.

 

Any other thoughts on these passages - please put them in the comments...

 

For the kids:

If you can, read the passage about Jesus washing the disciple's feet together and talk about it.  If possible, take some fun family time to wash each other's feet today!  And then think about other ways in which you can serve your friends and family in ways that they really need, even if it isn't something we really want to do...

 



Day 37: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...

On Monday we looked at the story of the triumphal entry.  Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, and then we have Good Friday and Easter Sunday only days away now.  But Jesus wasn't just hanging around, chatting over with his disciples about how great it was when he came into town on the donkey, while he waited for the soldiers to come and get him.  Let's remind ourselves of Jesus' actions in Jerusalem leading up to Passover.

- Jesus wept over Jerusalem
- Jesus cursed the fig tree
- Jesus cleared the Temple, driving out the merchants and their stalls
- Jesus taught in the Temple every day, using parables and scriptures to help people understand
- Jesus gave answers to the priests and teachers who tried to trap him with questions
- Jesus referred to himself as the cornerstone (a good reminder of our recent teaching!)
- Jesus taught his disciples about giving using the example of the widow's offering
- Jesus was anointed with perfume at Bethany
- Jesus talked about his death and resurrection to prepare his followers for what was to come

You can find these events, and more, in Matthew 21-26, Mark 11-14, and Luke 20-22.  If you can, choose one of the gospels and read the chapters through, allowing the words to speak to your heart today.  Please share any thoughts or revelations that you may have as you journey through Holy Week with Jesus, by using the comments section below.

For the kids:
If your child's Bible includes any of the stories above, please do take time to read them together today, talking about anything that your child finds interesting.  Try to list some words that describe Jesus from the story that you read and then use your list to thank Jesus for being who he is. 

Day 36: Food and fellowship...

Is a picture of a dinner plate a little odd for Holy Week?  Maybe not...

One of the many things we can notice about Jesus on a reading of the Gospels is that he shared his life, light and love with people while they shared a meal together.  Jesus ate with Zacchaeus, he was eating at Simon's house when the woman anointed him with expensive perfume, he was due to eat with Martha, Mary and Lazarus and their friends, since we know that Martha was preoccupied with dinner plans.  While he was preaching to the crowds out on the hills, he knew they needed to eat and take time to be physically refreshed while they were also being spiritually refreshed by the words of his preaching - and provided a meal for over five thousand of them.

The long Easter weekend is coming up.  You may have lots of plans to see friends or family, you may not.  This week, particularly with the extra days away from work, you may have extra opportunities to be hospitable and to open up your home or your diary to share a meal with one of your people to love.  When you share food, you have the opportunity to share fellowship.  As you share fellowship you can deepen friendship.  As friendship deepens, new opportunities to love arise and it becomes easier for people to understand that hope that lives within you.

Think about it.  Pray about it.  And invite somebody to share food and fellowship with you this week.

For the kids:
Talk about some of the stories where Jesus shared a meal with his friends - you may like to read the story of the feeding of the five thousand from a children's Bible together.  Talk about how Jesus liked to share conversation with people who he loved while he shared food with them.  See if there is anybody that your child might like to invite for tea or to share a snack or meal over the Easter holidays - baking playdates are always fun at this time of year and rice crispie nests are a failsafe!  Or talk with your children about your plans for Easter and pray together for any family members with whom you will share food, with whom you can also share God's love.

Day 35: The triumphal entry...

Yesterday was the day in our remembrance of the first Easter that we know as Palm Sunday.  Our name for this day comes from the reference in Mark 11:8 which mentions that Jesus' followers cut down leaves to wave in celebration as he entered Jerusalem.  Our versions of the Bible probably head the telling of the "Palm Sunday" story as "The triumphal entry."  You can find the full story in Mark 11:1-11 and in Luke 19:28-40.

The name "Palm Sunday" is fine and easy to remember, but if we read these two Bible passages in full today, we will see that the leaf-waving is only part of the story.  If you have been following Jesus for a while you will probably have read this story many, many times, but take the time to read the story afresh today. 

Imagine how the disciples who were asked to go and take the colt felt - were they nervous at taking someone else's donkey?  Were they amazed when things happened exactly as Jesus told them it would? 

Imagine how they felt when the crowds started to gather around the man they had been following for three years - the man they knew to be the Messiah.  We read this story knowing how their week will end, but they hadn't understood Jesus' warnings.  Were they thinking that finally the world had realised what they had known for a while?  Were they imagining ahead at their nation embracing their Saviour and maybe seeing the Romans overthrown? 

Imagine what the praise sounded like on the streets of Jerusalem.  If you have ever been part of a large gathering of Christians praising God (at a stadium or Bible camp, for example), recall the memories you may have of that large number of voices singing in praise.  And as Luke 19:40 reminds us, had the people not declared the praise of God for the arrival of Jesus "the stones along the road would burst into cheers."

This was a day of triumph - a day where people cried out: "Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Today, you may have a chance, like those crowds gathered on the streets of Jerusalem, to declare Jesus' name to somebody that you are trying to love.  You may have a chance to share the story of how you found your Messiah and how you know the King who comes in the name of the Lord.  If you have that chance please take it - and take it with boldness and celebration, like those singing as they waved their leaves.  If you don't have the chance to use words to shout and declare the truth, then use your loving to speak the same truth.  Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord by serving the person he puts into your life today - by appreciating them, or helping them, or listening to them, or feeding them, or encouraging them, or giving them a hug, or smiling.

For the kids:
Find the story of the triumphal entry in your children's Bible and share the story together, or use the Mark or Luke reference above.  Try to use some of the imagination suggestions above to think about how the people there might have been feeling.  If you can spend some time singing praise as a family - maybe with some instruments or home-made flags - to emulate the story that would be great.  Choose songs that you all enjoy.  Pray together that God would give you a great opportunity today to show His love in a joyful way.


Day 34: The Bridegroom's friend...

Yesterday we looked at one particular Old Testament scripture that proclaimed the coming of the Messiah.  The number of passages in the Old Testament that pointed God's chosen people to their Redeemer are too many to mention, and it is safe to say that in the days of Jesus the Jews were on the lookout for the person that they thought would fulfil these ancient prophecies.

And along comes John the Baptist, fulfilling the words of one of these prophets - Isaiah 40:3: He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming!  Make a straight road for him!'  John himself confusesd people, as we find in John 1:19-23.  People wanted to know if he was the Messiah, Elijah, or the Prophet.  People found God through him, and repented, and sought to change their lives.  And when Jesus started his ministry, people started to follow Jesus instead, as John's disciples noticed: Teacher, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you said was the Messiah, is also baptising people.  And everybody is going over there instead of coming here to us. (John 3:26)

But John knew who he was in God - who he was supposed to be and what he was supposed to do - and he was secure in his Lord.  Taking John as our example today, let us read and dwell upon his response to his confused followers, found in John 3:27-36:

God in heaven appoints each person's work.  You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah.  I am here to prepare the way for him - that is all.  The bride will go where the bridegroom is.  A bridegroom's friend rejoices with him.  I am the bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success.  He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.  He has come from above and is greater than anyone else.  I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth, but he has come from heaven.  He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!  Those who believe him discover that God is true.  For he is sent by God.  He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit.  The Father loves his Son, and he has given him authority over everything.  And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life.  Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.

There is so much that we can take from this passage to help us as we seek to love one another.  We can use it as a basis of our prayers today - however you feel most led.  Here are some starting ideas...
- Thank God in heaven that He has appointed your work today...
- Ask God to help you as you seek to prepare the way for Jesus in the lives of those you love...
- Offer your life to the Lord that he would must become greater as you become less...
- Thank God that our loved ones believe in Jesus they will discover that God is true...
- Ask God for His Spirit to fill you without measure or limit...
- Rejoice that God gave the Son authority over everything - and Jesus passed this authority on to us...
- Intercede for your loved ones who don't know God, and ask for His grace and mercy to be upon them so that they may experience eternal life...

For the kids:
If you can find any references or stories to John the Baptist in your child's Bible or Bible stories, read them together and talk a little about what God asked John to do and who he asked John to be.  From your discussions together pray that God would help you to grow in some of John's qualities.  If appropriate you could read some of the words from John 3 above, and use some of the prayer points to help you. 

Day 33: Foretold...

Next week is Holy Week - the week we remember the days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.  We will be looking at this well-known story from a number of angles as we ask God to speak to us afresh from the most amazing love story ever told.

As we prepare to remember God's act of redemption - the very act that has made us being able to love possible - let us go back to the Old Testament and remember how God told His people that He would show them His mighty love.

Today, try to take time to read Isaiah 52 and 53.  Imagine you are at a Journey Meeting and read it through in one sitting to see what God might want to show you.  Then use the comments section below to share your revelations.  Please remember of course, that we are not looking for Biblical academics, but for the sharing of what God is showing you today - anything that stood out, that moved you, that you found particularly interesting, or that caused you to ask questions.  There are no right or wrong answers - but let's allow God's word to speak to our hearts...

For the kids:
If you are able to read the two chapters with your children today that would be great - maybe even have a mini "Family Journey Meeting" together.  Share your thoughts with the children and allow them to share anything that spoke to them.  Alternatively, pick a shorter passage from the Scripture here and read it together.  Encourage the children to share their thoughts in the comments section too...

(Sidenote: if anyone reading doesn't know what a "Journey Meeting" is, please do email love40days@gmail.com and we'll let you know!)

Day 32: Recap of the reason...

To help us remember what it is that we are doing here with Love 40 days, here is a quote from C.S. Lewis from The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses:

If you asked 20 good [persons] today what they thought the highest of the virtues, 19 of them would reply, Unselfishness.  But if you had asked almost any of the great Christians of old [they] would have replied, Love.  You see what has happened?  A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance.  The negative ideal of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point.  I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love.  The New Testament has a lot to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself.

We are drawing towards the end of Lent now - on the final stretch - and hopefully the opportunity to practice loving one another has helped us draw closer to God in a new way.  Lent is traditionally the remembrance of Jesus spending forty days in the wilderness, fasting, praying and withstanding temptation.  It is all about sacrifice.  Love 40 days will have been a sacrifice for you in some way - the sacrifice of freedom, of putting yourself first, of giving time to pray and read this blog!  But you are also seeking to put something of Jesus in where you are seeking to put something of yourself out...

We have spent a great deal of time over the past weeks thinking about what Lewis terms the Christian virtue of Love - try to spend time today praying about whatever it is that God is speaking to you about from Lewis's challenge.

For the kids:
Spend time talking together about the difference between "not being selfish" and "being loving" - what extra things does "being loving" include?  If you looked at 1 Corinthians 13 together on Day 1, see if the children can remember anything from the list of words and then revisit the post and see which qualities you have forgotten.  Pray together that God would continue to help you learn to love as He loves.

Day 31: God's masterpiece...

You will probably have read this before, but hopefully you will find something new to encourage you in Ephesians 2:4-10 today:


But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.  (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.  God saved you by his grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Your loving today is a good thing.  You will not earn salvation through it, because you already have that gift from God.  Our good things would never be enough to earn such a gift.  But in doing these good things you will know that you are doing the things God planned for you to do today - fulfilling His purpose for you.  What an amazing truth this is!  Remember in everything you do today that you are God's masterpiece.

For the kids:
Read Ephesians 2:4-10 together - or as much of it as you can.  Talk about anything that you find interesting or anything that stood out for any of you.  Remind the children that they are God's masterpiece.  You may like to read Psalm 139 with them if they have never read this before.  Help them to understand that God has always had a plan for them, and pray with them that they will be able to do the good things that God has planned for them today as they love others.

30 days done...

Well done!  You are at Day Thirty - only ten days of Love 40 days left.  Your jar or box with your name slips is probably looking quite empty now...

Today's post is helping us to think about bringing joy to others as we love them - smiling, encouraging, saying thank you.  Maybe you could take a minute or two to share some joy with your fellow Love 40 days journeyers.  Please share a verse that has helped you, a story of a loving activity that was really effective, an answered prayer, or just a greeting so that we all know we are on this journey together - something that will make another reader smile!

It's really easy to post your comment - type in the white box and either sign in with your Google account or use the Name/URL option in the drop down box and type in your name.

And don't forget to visit back later to read all the comments!


Day 30: Spread some joy...

There are many factors that will be getting people down at the moment: the economic crisis, the rugby result at the weekend, the fact that there still four working days left this week, the sickness of a loved one, the fact that it seems like March has been the month of rain...

But we are called to bring joy to this world.  How are you going to do that today?  Here are two verses to get you started...

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you (1 Corinthians 1:4)

We often think that we need to do a big symbolic action to show love to somebody, but sometimes all we need to do is smile, or offer a word of encouragement, or say thank you.

Notwithstanding the fact that the clouds have been grey for a long time, most people we know live in a pretty dark world.  Without Jesus, they are missing their source of Light.  A smile, an encouragement, an appreciation - these things make a difference and shine a little light into somebody's day.  So today, why don't you see how much joy you can spread with the little displays of love?

And if you have any other Bible verses or ideas, do share them in the comments below...

For the kids:
Read the two verses together and set the children a little light of love challenge today as well as loving the person on your name slip today.  See if they can spread some joy by smiling, saying thank you to anyone who helps, encouraging somebody, noticing when somebody does something well.  And let them enjoy spreading the joy today!

Day 29: Flow chart...

We all know that we are on a journey - that someday God has promised to complete the work He started in us - but that we are not there yet.  Sometimes a good chart can help us plan this journey a little better.  When Mark Daniel spoke to us last Sunday he presented us with a flow chart to help us seek God and it was so helpful.  So this Monday morning, here's another one for you, this time from 2 Peter 1:5-8:

Make every effort to respond to God's promises.  Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-contral with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There's a lot to think about in this list and we aren't going to get it all straight away.  But God will help us build little on little and grow more and more.  Even during Love 40 days, you will have grown in this way.  Be encouraged to begin this week continuing to grow - and ask God for each of these qualities as you seek to have His love for everyone today.

For the kids:
Make a list of some of the qualities from 2 Peter 1:5-8 above and see if the children can explain what they mean and think of some real-life examples of how they can demonstrate these qualities.  Then spend some time praying together for God to help you grow in each of these areas.

Day 28: Pushing the limits...

Hopefully during the past 27 days you have been challenged by God to do something different.  Maybe even joining in with the Love 40 days journey was a challenge to you for one reason or another.  Sometimes we think we know what we are good at, what we are called to do, and we stick to it.  There is nothing wrong with utilising the natural gifts that God has given us, but sometimes sticking to what we know is just playing it safe.  And playing it safe means we miss out on allowing God to do things - showing up with that power along the way that we were thinking about earlier this week.

Philippians 4:13 says this: "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."  It does not say: I can do the things I am already good at.  It does not say: I can do the things that I am comfortable with.  It says: I can do everything.

We can love in extreme, extravagant ways through Christ, who gives us strength.  We can love people we find difficult or people who have hurt us through Christ, who gives us strength.  We can keep loving even though we are tired or have had a bad day through Christ, who gives us strength.

And sometimes we need to do things that are completely beyond us - so that we are really doing them through Christ, who gives us strength.

Watch this video today to be inspired and see what God can do when ordinary Jesus-following people allow themselves to be pushed to the limit.  Be challenged by what you see.  Our God is the God of the Bible.  We can trust that when He pushes our limits, He will give us the strength to do everything.

Pray today that you would be strengthened by Jesus and talk to God about any areas that He might be wanting to push your limits as you seek to love others.

For the kids:
Philippians 4:13 says this: "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."  Sometimes we only do things that we know we can do well.  We don't need to be afraid of doing the difficult things that God asks us to do because Jesus will always help us.  If your children can sit through a four minute video, it is worth watching today's link.  Otherwise, talk about some of the thing that God calls us to which we can't do by ourselves - including some of the ways He calls us to love others.  Pray that Jesus would give us strength.  Then talk together about some things that the kids would love to be able to do for others to show them that Jesus loves them.  Let them dream big!  And, if appropriate, pray for God's wisdom and guidance and consider actually doing some of them!

Day 27: Beyond the funny...

Today is Red Nose Day.  Many of you may be dressed in red, doing something funny for money, or contributing to a collection at work or at school.  If you watch the BBC this evening you will undoubtedly be moved by the video documentaries of material and emotional poverty both here in the UK and internationally.  The aim is, of course, to move you to give financially, and as Christians we should be generous givers whenever we can.  Sharing from our material wealth is an important aspect of loving others.  Meeting practical needs - whether ourselves or via a charity - has always been the calling of the followers of Christ.  Jesus spoke regularly about material injustice and the early church pooled their resources to make sure that everybody had what they needed.  Many charities who receive money from Comic Relief will have been set up by or staffed by those Jesus has called into this work.

But maybe you can also give beyond your finance today.  Perhaps you can use any new awareness that Comic Relief may bring to you to pray more intelligently.  Maybe you could take notes while you are watching and allow the Spirit to speak to you about things that you can bring before God.  This will enable us to pray about international and national situations and take responsibility for interceding for others.  Furthermore, we can take this further and use the national and local media - newspapers, tweets, television updates - to stir us to pray.

If you feel so led, perhaps God is also calling you to take practical action to love others by meeting their practical needs.  There are various avenues within our church: to help serve local families through the Allsorts toddler group, to serve the rough sleepers of Bromley by serving with the Curry Union, to deliver leaflets to our community letting them know about Church for people who don't do Church.  There are even more opportunities to serve with the local churches together: FoodBank, Street Pastors, the Night Shelter, the list goes on.  If you are a school parent, you could seek opportunities to volunteer at the school, if there is a social responsbility programme in your workplace you could investigate this further.  Consider your passions - remembering that they are God-given.  If you are moved, investigate the ways that you can give time to showing the love of Jesus through your practical service.

Be generous today - and use it as an opportunity to hear how God is calling you to live a life full of life, following the example of Christ.... (Ephesians 5:2)

For the kids:
As a parent, you will know how much your child is able to understand about the reasons why Red Nose Day exists.  Make the most of the conversations that will arise as they seek to understand why they are wearing different clothes or doing different things today.  And use them as the basis of prayer time.  Encourage your children to be generous givers - with their finances and their time.  There will always be ways that they too can serve in a practical way - helping you shop for the Larder, donating their extra toys to a children's charity, visiting older neighbours to cheer them up.  Don't be limited and let them dream along with you...

Day 26: Words, words, words...

When thinking about loving others, particularly those who don't know Jesus yet, do you ever worry that at the most important times your words will fail you?  What if they ask a question and you don't have a good answer?  What if you stumble or look foolish?  What if, as it turns out, you don't really know what you are talking about?

The Bible has two pieces of advice for us as we seek to love one another and share Jesus' love with our words.

Firstly, 1 Peter 3:15-16 says this: and if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

Secondly, Matthew 10:19-20 says this: don't worry about how to respond or what to say.  God will give you the right words at the right time.  For it is not you who will be speaking - it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

So one verse is telling us to prepare our words and be ready.  And the other is telling us not to worry for God will give us the words to speak.  But these are not contradictory...

Both verses remind us that we need to be seeking God.  If we know Him better we will be more able to explain our Christian hope.  We should be preparing answers and learning more about the character of God so that we are able to share the good news that has changed our lives.  Our ability to talk about God should be natural and free-flowing because we are talking about somebody we love and spend time with.  We should know who we are talking about.  Equally, if we know Him better and spend more time with Him we will be more tuned to the Spirit whispering the words we need at the right time.  We don't need to memorise a script because our God is living in us and will give us everything we need.

And if we have been reading God's word, the Spirit will have more material to give to us at the right time!

If you have any examples of where God has given you the words to say during the Love 40 days journey, please do share them to encourage your fellow journeyers...

For the kids:
Talk about whether it is always easy to know what to say when we are trying to love other people.  Read the two verses together and talk about how God wants us to think about Him and know Him so that we can share Him with the people we - and He - love.  And talk about who He will talk through us too.  Spend some time asking God to meet with you as a family today so that you can all know Him better.


Day 25: Expecting the unexpected...

I wonder whether, while you pull out your name for today, you have put yourself in the shoes of the person whose name is written on the paper.  They have no idea that they are going to get loved on today!  They think they are just living their lives as usual, but God has other plans.  He put their name into your head when you prepared your name slips.  And He knows that today is the day that you will love that person with the love that He has given you for that very purpose.

That person has no idea what is coming...

Throughout the New Testament we find stories of people who thought that they were going about their business, or thought they were encountering God on their own terms, but God had plans to blow their minds. 

Think about Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-11.  We read that he wanted to get a look at Jesus.  He thought that he was just following his own curiosity and checking out the local celebrity of the hour.  Little did he know that Jesus would stop at his treetop viewing post, invite himself for dinner, and change Zacchaeus' life, relationships and work ethic forever.

Think about the beggar at the Beautiful Gate in Acts 3:1-11.  He thought at best he might get a coin from Peter and John, and would have seen a financial donation as a win.  He wasn't thinking that these men would call upon the name of Jesus to bring healing to his legs, meaning that he would be able to live life in a way that he had never experienced or imagined would be possible.

The person on your name slip is not expecting an encounter with God today.  But God is wanting an encounter with them.  And that is where you come in.

Are you expecting to be part of the unexpected?  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with love, anticipation and faith today.  Keep your eyes and ears open and be ready to be guided by His promptings.  And don't be afraid to ask God for big, unexpected things...

For the kids:
Choose one (or both!) of the stories above and read it together - especially if you can read it in a children's Bible with which they are familiar.  Talk about how Zacchaeus or the beggar thought their day was going to turn out.  Talk about how they felt after God turned up and changed their lives with a single encounter.  Then pray together for the faith to expect the unexpected today and lift up the person on your name slip in prayer.

Day 24: Power along the way...

Mark Daniel spoke powerfully to us on Sunday morning.  If you didn't hear the message yet, please be encouraged to get a copy or download the podcast here when it becomes available.  Not only did he help us with a fresh perspective on John 14 (which we looked at back on Day 13 if you want to remind yourself), but he also encouraged us to seek after God so that our faith will increase - and encouraged us to step out in faith.

Mark shared stories from the Bible where people had to trust in God that His plans were going to come together even though to human eyes things may have looked hopeless.  He reminded us of the stories of the Israelites approaching the Red Sea with the Egyptian army at their back, and the story of the lepers being healed as they returned to their village in Luke 17, where we read: "Jesus looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests."  And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy." (Luke 17:14)  Mark encouraged us that we see from these stories that there is power along the way - as we follow God's word, He shows up.

The lepers would likely have been expecting their healing, since they had just asked for it, but the Israelites probably were not anticipating the sea parting so that they could walk through on dry land.  In both circumstances, whether the answer looked as they had imagined or not, God met with His people in mighty ways - bringing salvation in each situation.

As we seek to follow Jesus' commandment to love one another (John 13:34) today, we need to be expecting power along the way.  We might not feel like loving that person, we may think we have nothing to offer, or that the person shows no discernible need that we can meet.  It may be a challenge to open ourselves up and love somebody today.  We may even be becoming a little jaded with the effort of thinking of creative ways to love another person.  But we need to remember that our God is the God who provides power along the way.  As we seek to love one another, we should expect to see His power.

And when you have seen it, please be encouraged to share it in the comments!

(Side note - don't forget that Mark is speaking again tonight at 7:30pm - be there if you can!)

For the kids:
When you read a story or watch a TV show you can often guess what is going to happen.  There is usually a lesson to be learnt and a happy ending and chances are that you could pause midway and figure out the rest of the plot and get it right most of the time.  Life is not always like that.  Sometimes we don't know what is going to happen.  We can't tell for sure. 

There are lots of stories in the Bible - like Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea - where if you paused midway and tried to guess what would happen, without having read it before, you might not be able to imagine how it was going to turn out.  Would you have guessed that God would part the ocean so that the Israelites could walk through on dry land?  The Israelites definitely didn't know that was coming up!  But God always shows up when we follow Him and trust Him.  Sometimes we need to step out not knowing what the ending is going to look like - but we do know this - the ending will always involve God and it will always work out for the best even if it doesn't look how we thought it might.  Loving others is hard.  Sometimes we have to make ourselves uncomfortable or do something for someone else when we have other plans or even do something when we don't know for sure that we can really do it - but we can remember that with God there is always power along the way.  And He will never let us down when we are trying our best to love one another.  No matter how old or experienced you are, expect to see His power in your life today...


Day 23: Gone fishing...

When Jesus called his disciples in Matthew 4:18-20, his invitation to them was not that they follow him to learn the truths of the universe, although they did.  It was not that they follow him to learn godly wisdom or a new way of living, although they did.  It was that they follow him to become "fishers of men."  In the New Living Version we read: "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"  In The Message this is translated: "Come with me.  I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you.  I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass."

Jesus' initial call to Peter and Andrew was that if they followed him they would learn how to love others - to bring others into his Kingdom.  They might not have understood exactly what he was saying to them, but we know that they dropped their nets straight away, no questions asked, and followed him.  And then saw the world change as people came to know salvation through Jesus Christ.

We too are called to this mission.  We might not see netfuls of people affected by our love today as those early net-fishing disciples did, but we can and should expect that as we love the person we pull out today with the love that God gives us, that they will be changed.  Jesus will show us how to fish for people too.  Even if we just take our rod and go after the one "fish".  Because God's net is quite big enough to cast over our town, our city, our nation and gather in His catch.  We just have to be willing to go fishing...

So be encouraged - get your net or rod and go fishing with Jesus today...

For the kids:
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to become his friends and followers by telling them that if they went with them he would "show [them] how to fish for people!"  He invited them to learn how to love others and in so doing bring them into a new life with Jesus.  This invitation changed the world.  Peter and Andrew knew all about fishing for fish - they were fishermen and spent their lives throwing their nets overboard and bringing them back up full of fish - just like in today's picture.  Jesus showed them how to fish for people by loving them - and he will show you too.  Spend some time today praying for Jesus to show you how to love the person on your paper today - that he would show you how to fish for people.  And spend time praying that the person you are loving would be caught by the love of Jesus.


Day 22: Extreme...

Jesus did not come to live a "nice" life.  "Nice" is not going to change the world.  The Bible calls us to live extreme lives.
 
2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that "God loves a person who gives cheerfully" - extreme generosity.

Matthew 5:42 tells us to "give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow" - extreme service.

Matthew 18:22 tells us that we should forgive "seventy times seven" times - extreme forgiveness.

 All of these will help us to love with an extreme love.  Some of the passages we have seen in the last 20 days call us to this extreme love.  For this is the love that we have received - "for God so loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Spend some time thinking about what extreme love might look like for you.  And ask God to help you understand His extreme love and help you love others with an extreme love today.

For the kids:
God doesn't call us to be good - He calls us to be like Jesus.  We can't do this by ourselves.  Share some of the verses above as a family and think of real life examples of how you could respond with extreme generosity, service, forgiveness and love.  Take time to thank God for his extreme love - "for God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)

Day 21: And who is my neighbour...

The commandment to "love one another" that we are trying to obey as part of Love 40 days is important.  So important that in Mark 12:31, Jesus states that, together with the commandment to love God: "no other commandment is greater than these."  In case we missed it in the Gospels, Paul later repeats this in Galatians 5:14: "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself."

In Luke 10:27, in response to Jesus' questions about the Law of Moses, the expert in religious law replies that part of the law tells us to "love your neighbour as yourself."  In response to the expert's next question to Jesus, we read the well-known story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37.

Jesus is obviously telling us that the term "neighbour" includes everyone.  We already know this.  But do we live it?

"Neighbour" includes our annoying boss, our best friend, the group of school kids on the bus using inappropriate and offensive language at high volume, the other driver who just cut us up for no reason, the lovely old lady who lives across the street, the person whose sexuality we haven't quite figured out or can't quite understand, the vocal atheist who belittles and ridicules our faith to get a rise out of us, the rough sleeper with obvious material needs.  The person who makes you smile most in the world and the person who cuts you the deepest without even noticing they have done it.

The story of the Good Samaritan is so well-known, that we often let it pass us by without thinking of the effect that it might have had on those listening to it for the first time - the effect that the very word "Samaritan" would have had on them.  For us, the word will mainly have associations with this story and the kindness of the gentleman described.  For the Jews listening to Jesus, not so much.  We have already talked a little about Jesus' challenge to love our enemies - or frenemies - back at Day 7 - but it is worth considering what Jesus is trying to tell us about loving others from this story...

As you read the story today, why don't you replace the word Samaritan with the word of a type of person or people group that you find it particularly difficult to love?  You may or may not have these people on your list of forty names - it doesn't really matter - you can love them anyway!  We know that as followers of Jesus we don't want any prejudice or judgement to affect our loving - so let's take time today to pray that God will continue to widen our hearts and expand our territory of loving to continue to change us and change others for His glory.

For the kids:
Read the story of the Good Samaritan together, either from Luke 10:25-37 or from a Bible story book.  Talk together about how Jesus wants us to include all sorts of people in our loving.  Pray again for any people who they find it difficult to love for any reason.  Talk about how Jesus has placed them where they are - in their street, their school, their classes etc. - because He needs them to love the people in their world.  Thank Jesus for this special mission and ask for His help to complete it!

Half way...

20 days done, 20 left to do.  Here are a few questions to help us review our Love 40 days journey so far and consider what is to come.

 

How has it been going? 

 

What have you found the easiest to do as you seek to love one another?  What have you found the hardest?  Have you found it easier to serve someone through an act of appreciation or kindness, or easier to pray for them?  Is it easier to love people we don't know and may never meet again, or to love those closest to us?

 

How do you think you have changed so far?  How would you like to change in the next 20 days?

 

What Bible verse or inspiration that you have found here has challenged or encouraged you the most?

 

Please feel free to use these questions as a personal review - or feel free to share anything you have found in the comments below.  It would also be great if anyone would like to post encouragements for their fellow Love 40 days journeyers - to keep us all seeking to live a life filled with love following the example of Christ...

Day 20: Mindwash...

There are many versions of word association games - where you have to say the first word you think of when you hear another word.  When you started Love 40 days I wonder what word you would have thought of when you heard the word love?  I wonder what you would think now, half way through.  Is it different?  Has this journey changed your thinking about love at all?  If it has, it would be great to hear how in the comments below...

Our thinking about love should be changing.  From our old thinking - which could include a foucs on romantic love, selfish love, love that is given in order that we might receive, love about our feelings - to the thinking that is shaped by the Word of God.  We can review what the Word of God says about love by revisiting any of the previous posts from the past 19 days.  It says this in Romans 12:2 - Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Today, let us pray that God continues to transform our thinking about love, and as our thoughts become more godly, that our serving is more Spirit-led and our loving more effective.  For His glory.

For the kids:
It says this in Romans 12:2 - Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  What do you think this means?  What behaviour and customs do you think it would be better not to copy?  What sort of thinking do you think that God wants to give us and how can we find God's wisdom?  Pray together that God would change the way we think - from the youngest to the oldest.  Just think how amazing the mind of a toddler, preschooler, school-child can be when their thoughts are transformed by God!

Day 19: Mirror, mirror...

One of our goals as we seek to Love 40 days, is to live a life of love, following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:2).  Since we know that we cannot love in the way that we have been reading about without God's help, we want to love in a way that shows something of Jesus to those we know.  We want our loving to reflect Jesus to those around us.

To encourage you today, as you seek to love like this, here is part of the prayer of St. Patrick.  Maybe a couple of lines will stick in your mind as a meditation for you today:

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ on the deck,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

For the kids:
Read the prayer above together and talk about what it might mean for us.  Obviously we don't have chariots these days, so for children who don't know what these are, you could choose a different vehicle!  You could encourage younger children to draw pictures to show some of the lines of the prayer to help them think about what it means for them to have Jesus as such a central part of their lives.  Or you could spend time looking in a mirror and talking about what we see when we look at ourselves and what we want others to see - and how we might show them Jesus as we try to love others today.

Day 18: Motive check...

How is your Love 40 days journey going?  As we are nearly half way through our 40 day challenge, it is time for a little motive check...

It may seem silly to think that trying to obey Jesus' commandment to love others could be a temptation to us, but it is easy to slip into pride, self-righteousness and thinking that we can do great things by ourselves.  Are we really trying to serve the person we are loving today purely to show them love, or is there part of us that enjoys feeling good about ourselves and wants to draw attention to our good deeds?  If we are being really honest with ourselves, there may well be part of that...

And so today, let's use these words from Philippians 2:3-4 to help us stay pure of heart as we love others...

 

Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

 

If we ask Him, God will give us humility and help us withstand any temptation to think or ourselves before we think of others during this period, and Jesus is the greatest example of being humble and serving others that we could ever find.  Allow the Holy Spirit to work in you as you love today and know that God is with you as you seek to obey His word.

 

For the kids:

Have you been enjoying loving others for Love 40 days so far?  It is sometimes easy to enjoy doing loving things for others because we know they will be really pleased with us and maybe give us something back, or because we know they will think we are really good and praise us.  But this is not why we love and we have to be careful to remember that we are loving others because we want to be like Jesus and for our friends to come to know Jesus too.  God knows that it is easy for us to get confused and so He made sure there are verses to help us with every situation - including this one - in the Bible.  In Philippians 2:3-4 it says: Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.  Ask God to help you remember this today as you plan your Love 40 days activity so that you are loving without thinking of what it might do for you.

Day 17: Take my life...

As we start a new week and following on from some of last week's readings, take time today to listen to the Hillsong track Arms Open Wide by clicking here.  You can use the lyrics below as your personal prayer for your Love 40 days journey this week - as we seek to give our lives completely to God, He is able to use us to love His people in His way.

Take my life I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to You oh God
Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
That I may walk in all You have for me

Oh here I stand
Arms open wide
Oh I am Yours
And You are mine

Take my moments and my days
Let each breath that I takeBe ever only for You oh God

My whole life is Yours
I give it all
Surrendered to Your Name
And forever I will pray
Have Your way
Have Your way

You may have other songs or scriptures that you use as you seek to surrender to God - please do share them in the comments below to encourage everyone else.

For the kids:
Use the song above or another family favourite one that speaks about giving our lives to God as part of a family worship time.  You may want to lie quietly together with your arms wide open as in the lyrics and listen to the music, or write any words down that are significant to you.  You could even try to think of a symbolic action to help you such as writing your names on paper and placing them inside the Bible - to represent you agreeing to try to put your lives in God's hand and live according to His word.

Day 16: Remain...

It is likely that you will have read this passage many times before, but there will always be something new to see within it.  There is so much to take from these words of Jesus about love, our commitment to Jesus, our obedience to His commands, His expectations of us and the promises He makes to us.

Maybe you can find something new to think or pray about from this passage today in your Love 40 days journey...  If you find anything particularly speaking to you, please do share it in the comments below!

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I haved loved you.  There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves.  Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.  You didn't choose me.  I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.  This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:9-17)

For the kids:
There are so many parts of this passage that you could look at.  Maybe read the whole thing through twice together and see what stands out to the children and talk about that, or if they are younger pick a shorter part of the passage and read that together and talk about what they understand from the words.  Talk about what Jesus is telling us about love and what He wants us to do.

Day 15: All or Nothing...

A seemingly simple post today - just a graphic to look at, from Francis Chan:



Putting the words into action, however, may not be so simple!  Yet this is what we are seeking to do with Love 40 days - to help us all to be devoted followers of Christ: to live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. (Ephesians 5:2).

God wants all of us today.  It may not be easy for us to give it all to Him.  But just think what He can do through you today if you give Him your all...

For the kids:
Look at the graphic together and talk a little about what it might mean to give God our all.  You might find it helpful to consider scenarios where you can do this.  Pray a simple prayer of surrender to God along the lines of: "Dear Lord, I choose to give you my all today.  Please take me and use me and help me to keep giving myself to you.  Please let me hear your voice and help me to follow you in everything.  Please help me love you with everything and love others with everything you give to me.  Amen"

Day 14: To love and obey...

Yesterday we started thinking about obedience.  This is not necessarily a theme that springs to mind when we think of the hearts and flowers sort of love predominant in our culture, but when we look at the Bible we often find that where we find a call to love, we find a call to obedience.

For example, look at Deuteronomy 10:12: And now, Israel (or put in your own name), what does the LORD your God require of you?  He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.

Or consider Daniel 9:4: O Lord, you are a great and awesome God!  You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.

There is no doubt that the Bible tells us that part of our loving God is obeying His commandments to us.  We cannot pay lip service and profess our devotion to Him without actually devoting our lives, thoughts and actions to Him and following His word.

This is our heart's prayer as we seek to Love 40 days.  As Romans 13:8 reminds us: Owe nothing to anyone - except for your obligation to love one another.  If you love your neighbour, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law.

As you seek to love others today, remember that this is part of your obedience to God, as you seek to love Him better too.

For the kids:
Read the passages together - use the Deuteronomy verse to challenge the children as to what God wants from them, and include their name so they understand it is for them too.  And use the Daniel verse as a prayer to God to help them understand how big God is, reminding them that God always keeps His promises.  Spend time together asking God to help you to love and obey, especially if you can think of specific areas where the children find it hard to do this.

Day 13: If you love me...

Jesus had a lot to say about love.  Not all of what He had to say makes particularly easy reading.  Some of it we might rather dilute.

In John 14:15, we read this: If you love me, obey my commandments.  Trying to obey Jesus' commandments is one of the motivations for Love 40 days - the commandment we find to love others in John 13:34.  But since Jesus is so straight down the line about our obedience to Him being intrinsic to our loving Him, let's take the time to read His words today and let them speak to our hearts. 

If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.  The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognise him.  But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  No I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you.  Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me.  Since I live, you will also live.  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.  And because they love me, my Father will love them.  And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. [...]  All who love me will do what I say.  My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.  Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me.  And remember, my words are not my own.  What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.  I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.  But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:15-26

 

It is worth taking time to pray over this passage today and ask the Holy Spirit to help you as you seek to love and obey Jesus, especially given the message that Jonathan brought to us on Sunday about the way that our lives can and should look when we are truly living a life filled with the Spirit.  You may even want to listen to this message again during this week if you can.

 

For the kids:

Jesus said to us: "If you love me, obey my commandments." (John 14:15) Can you list some of the things that Jesus commanded us to do and talk about whether you are following what He asks you to do?  Pray for Him to help you as you seek to be obedient and show Him that you love Him like He loves you.

 



Day 12: Show me...

Today we are going to use a Psalm as a prayer to guide our thoughts as we seek to love others - for as we know, we cannot do this without God's help.  The scripture below from Psalm 25:4-9 is from the NIV, but you might also want to read it in other versions - The Message is also a good one to try...

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
For you are God my Saviour and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
According to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in His ways.
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.

For the kids:
Read the Psalm together and talk together about any questions that the children have.  Pray together that God would show each of us His ways and how He wants us to love - not only the name we pick out today but everyone we meet.

Day 11: Every Day...

The half term break, if you had it, has come to an end.  If you didn't get a break, then it is still another Monday morning and time to get on with the working week again.  You have now completed the first 10 days of Love 40 days and maybe the novelty is starting to wear off a little and your creativity for loving acts is starting to wane.

Today, take time to remind yourself that living a life of love and following the example of Christ is a daily commitment.  We cannot do it by making one decision on a specific date and then expect to find it easy to love forever after.  But we can offer ourselves to God every single day (throughout Love 40 days and far beyond) and know that He will help us, guide us, love us and give us enough love to share with others.  You may be encouraged by the following lyrics from Hillsong's Every Day - perhaps enjoy them here to brighten up your Monday or just read them as a personal commitment that you choose to make for today.  And then commit again tomorrow.  And the day after.  And after that.  And....

What to say Lord, it's You who gave me life and I can't explain just how much You mean to me now that You have saved me, Lord, I give all that I am to You, that every day I could be a light that shines Your name.

Every day, Lord, I'll learn to stand upon Your word and I pray that I, I might come to know You more, that You would guide me in every single step I take, that every day I can be Your light unto the world.

Every day, it's You I live for
Every day, I'll follow after You
Every day, I'll walk with You my Lord

It's You I live for every day...

For the kids:
We are 10 days into Love 40 days - with 30 left to go!  Half term is over and it's back to school.  But we don't have to slip into routine and forget about what we are doing.  We can choose to follow Jesus every single day and it is helpful to do so because it reminds us who we are follow.  Take time today to sing the words above - you might like to use this Hillsong Kids clip to get your Monday going!