Daily Devo - Saturday, January 19, 2008

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
I Thessalonians 3:12-13 (NKJV)

I have no idea how to play dominoes. I've seen dominoes. I've even seen people at a table playing dominoes. It's just that I've never actually taken the time to learn the game. Of course, I've played with dominoes since childhood--but my version of the game involved stacking them in lines behind one another so I could watch a chain-reaction when the first one was pushed down.

The decisions we make in life, like a chain of dominoes, have consequences. In the verse quoted above, Paul is telling the believers in Thessalonica that one of the consequences of living a life of love is holiness. Love is the first 'domino'. It is the thing that causes or produces holiness in us.

For the pursuit of holiness to be fruitful, it must follow the path of love.

Merciful Father,

Teach me to be loving.
Create love in my barren heart,

For only then can I be holy before your eyes
and be a pleasing vessel for your Son.
Amen.