Love Never StopsSample

Day 2: Purpose

As far back as the earliest establishment of the people of God, God has called His people to love strangers and invite them into community with us. In giving His law, God states, “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God (Lev 19:34).” It’s not by chance that God says to “treat the stranger...as the native among you,” because God had just given His people the same instruction on interacting with one another a few verses prior, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD (Lev 19:18).”

Everything is about family for God. God calls His people to love strangers because God cares for them and wants to see them brought into His family. We live in a world that has renewed our minds to caring for ourselves and convinced us that we are too busy for our neighbors, let alone strangers, but this is the exact opposite of God’s design. As the people of God, we have always existed to be a light to the nations that lead the world into the family of God. The prophet Isaiah prophesied of the people of God, “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:3).”

There’s a skill set that needs to be learned if we are going to live out this mission of being a light in this world and growing the family of God. We must learn to care about what God cares about. God doesn’t just happen to care about strangers. God recognizes that strangers are vulnerable and God fights for the vulnerable. More to the point, God raises up His people to fight for the vulnerable. It’s in this fighting for the vulnerable that we actually become the light God has called us to be. God even promises to bless us when we fight for the vulnerable and our love never stops.

“7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:7-8).”

Reflection/Discussion Questions:

What is the mission of the family?

Who are the vulnerable in your community?

How can the vulnerable be served and loved in not just a transactional way, but in a relational way?