Our final Lent devotion is from Terrance Gattis, Global Chaplain at Habitat for Humanity International. Read his devotion below.
While speaking about love, Mother Teresa offered these words: “Love cannot remain by itself — it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” Mother Teresa’s words remind us that love is not a noun, but rather a verb. Love is not measured by what we say. It’s measured by the actions we take and the service we render.
Lent is a time of preparation, self-examination and reflection as we journey toward the cross. It’s a time of hope and a time to remember the love that God demonstrated for us when He sent His Son to be our Savior. But how should we respond to God’s love? What actions should we take? The writer of Hebrews has given us an answer. We are to respond to God’s love by putting His love into action as we work to serve and help God’s people.
The practice of putting God’s love into action is what Habitat’s mission is all about. When we bring people together to build homes, communities and hope, not only are we helping God’s people by providing decent places to live, but we are also responding to the love that God has shown us by putting His love into action.
I was recently in Hendersonville, North Carolina, to speak at a prayer breakfast that was hosted by our Henderson County affiliate. I was blessed to see the new community that the affiliate has constructed, a community of 114 families and 400 children that includes parks, playgrounds and walking trails. When reflecting upon all the great work that this affiliate has accomplished, one can easily hear the words as recorded in the book of Hebrews: “God will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”
In closing, I am reminded of a song that I learned as a boy in church, “And They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” This should be our focus during this season of Lent, that the world will know that we are Christians not by the crosses we wear, but rather by the people we help and by the work we do to put God’s love into action.
Eternal God, we thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to be our Saviour. We thank You that through Jesus Christ, You have given us a model for what it looks like to put Your love into action. So, as we move through this season of Lent, we pray that You make us instruments of Your love. Continue to remind us that we are called to put Your love into action as we continue to serve and help Your people. Amen.
