MISSIONARIES   ARE   MESSENGERS   OF   GOD'S   LOVE

     "As the Father loves me, so I also love you"  (John 15:9).

     Do these words of Jesus lift our spirits when we read  them?

     Do these words of Jesus lift our spirits when we hear a reader in church read them?

     Probably not. We read them and hear them as part of the text of the day's reading. 

     How different it would be if Jesus were standing right there in front of us! He is there, but He is unseen.

     We learn a very important point here. God comes to us through others. God's words of love are expressed to us by others.

     The person who sincerely says, "I love you," is in fact echoing God's love for us. This is always true whether or not we realize it at the actual moment.  God's love is - constant

                                                            - unconditional

                                                            - understanding

                                                            - forgiving

                                                            - nurturing

                                                            - sustaining.  It continues to come to us through the love and actions of others.

     How do we acknowledge God's magnificent love?  We can start the day saying, "I love you, God." We also need to follow Jesus' example and bring God's love to others. We strive to bring God's love to others each day. We may think we do not do very much, but God sees our heart and our efforts. God does not ask us to be perfect messengers of His love. He just asks us to give freely and willingly.

I love You, God. Day by day, make me a vessel of your grace through which Your love flows to others. Amen.