AUGUST 14, 2025

 “And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” 

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

PSALM 99-102

 1Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his^a ;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (100:1-3)

ROMANS 13

8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^aand whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^b 10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

JOURNAL 

C.S. Lewis wrote, “And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history: money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery, the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” His words remind me that every time I place my hope in anything apart from God, I am stepping into the same failed pursuit humanity has been chasing since the beginning.

Psalm 100 tells us to shout for joy to the Lord, to worship Him with gladness, to come before Him with joyful songs, and to remember that He is God. He made us and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. That truth should be enough to anchor my heart no matter what is happening around me.

It is sometimes hard to wrap my mind around all the goodness in my life. I have been blessed with family and friends, yet there are moments when I forget. Life’s struggles, losses, and hardships can seem louder than the blessings, and too often they win the day. But when I stop and thank God for all the goodness, for the opportunities to serve Him, and for the privilege to love and serve others, I realize I have been given an incredible gift. It is the greatest gift.

Romans 13 reminds me that love is the fulfillment of the law. Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Galatians 5 echoes the same truth, calling us to use our freedom to serve one another humbly in love.

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^a ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^b

- GALATIANS 5:13-14