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Topic:Dedicated to Love
August 8, 2018
Read: Romans 9:1–5
Bible in a Year: Psalms 74–76; Romans 9:16–33
My heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1
As a convert to Jesus Christ, Nabeel Qureshi has written books to help his readers understand the people in the religion he left. His tone is respectful, and Qureshi always displays a heart of love for his people.
Qureshi dedicated one of his books to his sister, who has not yet put her faith in Jesus. The dedication is brief, but powerful. “I am begging God for the day that we can worship him together,” he wrote.
We get a sense of that kind of love as we read Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. “My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief,” he said, “for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them” (Romans 9:2–3 nlt).
Paul loved the Jewish people so much that he would have chosen separation from God if only they would accept Christ. He understood that by rejecting Jesus, his people were rejecting the one true God. This motivated him to appeal to his readers to share the good news of Jesus with everyone (10:14–15).
Today, may we prayerfully dedicate ourselves to the love that aches for those close to us!
Father, we ask You to fill our hearts with Your love for others. We hold ______ up to You and beg for them to see the truth about Your Son Jesus.
We must love those for whom Christ died as well as those in whom Christ lives.
