Daily Christian Devotional

8 January, 2026

1 John 4.19 – 5.4, Psalm 72.1, 17-end, Luke 4.14-22

John reminds us of the heart of the Christian life: we love because God first loved us. Love is not something we manufacture through effort or resolve; it is a response to grace already given. To love God cannot be separated from loving others. Faith is lived not only in belief, but in action shaped by obedience, trust, and care. This love, born of God, overcomes the world—not by force, but by faithful perseverance.

Psalm 72 lifts this love into God’s wider purpose. God’s name is blessed for ever, and through the righteous king blessing flows to all nations. God’s reign brings justice, protection for the poor, and hope that reaches to the ends of the earth. Love always moves outward.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus stands in the synagogue and declares the fulfilment of Isaiah’s promise. Good news is proclaimed to the poor, freedom to the captive, sight to the blind. This is love made visible and public. The grace of God is not hidden; it is announced, embodied, and offered to all.

To be born of God is to be drawn into this same movement of love—receiving mercy, living faithfully, and joining Christ’s work of healing and restoration in the world.

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Prayer

Loving God,
you have loved us first and called us your own.
Strengthen our faith, that we may overcome fear and apathy.
Teach us to love you in obedience
and to love others with generosity and courage.
Send us out in the power of your Spirit
to share the good news of your grace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.