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The Story of Love - Dorothy
Sermon Summary
Dorothy reminds us that God's unfailing love, demonstrated through 'chesed', calls us to love others selflessly, forgive offenses, and trust in His presence to transform our relationships and grow us more like Jesus.
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Love is a deep ache within every human heart, a longing that reflects our creation by a God who is love Himself. We crave relationships that are both safe and exciting, stable yet surprising, but our expectations often leave us disappointed. Much like the dizzying teacup ride at Disneyland, our pursuit of love can start out exhilarating but quickly become disorienting and even nauseating when life’s pressures and unmet expectations spin us out of control. This is because, apart from a deep connection with God, our experience of love becomes disordered—self-focused, conditional, and based on performance. We end up anxious, uncertain, and easily offended, always seeking affirmation and fulfilment from others who cannot ultimately satisfy our deepest needs.
The invitation is to rediscover love in connection with God, specifically the chesed love described throughout Scripture. Chesed is God’s steadfast, loyal, and merciful love—a love that is not based on our performance or reciprocation, but on His unchanging character. In the Psalms, we see that God’s chesed is as high as the heavens and that He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. Even after humanity’s fall, God’s first question is not accusatory but relational, expressing a longing for restored connection. This is the love embodied in Jesus, who consistently loved those who betrayed, denied, and abandoned Him. His love is unoffendable, grounded in His identity and mission, and He calls us to love one another in the same way.
Our ability to love others with chesed is the true mark of our discipleship. The measure of this love is seen in how easily we are offended. When we take offense, it often reveals that we are looking to others to meet needs that only God can fulfil, or that we are believing lies about God’s goodness and provision. Instead, we are invited to bring our irritations and wounds to God, allowing Him to transform them—like an oyster turning a grain of sand into a pearl—into something beautiful and of great kingdom value. This transformation happens as we spend time with God, seeking His presence, wisdom, and healing, and as we practice releasing, forgiving, and overlooking offenses. In doing so, we become people who reflect God’s chesed love to a world in desperate need of it.
Key Takeaways
1. The longing for love is rooted in our creation by a God who is love, but our pursuit of love often becomes self-focused and conditional when disconnected from Him. This leads to disappointment and anxiety, as we seek from others what only God can provide. True fulfillment in relationships begins with a deep connection to God’s love.
2. Chesed, God’s steadfast and merciful love, is not based on our performance or worthiness but on His unchanging character. Even in our failures and betrayals, God’s love remains constant, always seeking restoration and never turning away from us. This is the love we are called to receive and reflect.
3. Jesus embodies chesed love, loving consistently and unoffendably even in the face of rejection and betrayal. His example challenges us to love others not based on their actions or our feelings, but out of a secure identity rooted in God’s love. Our commitment to this kind of love is the true evidence of our discipleship.
4. Taking offense often reveals deeper issues in our hearts—unmet needs, misplaced trust, or believing lies about God’s care for us. When we look to human relationships for affirmation and fulfillment, we remain spiritually thirsty. Only by trusting in God’s sufficiency can we be free from the cycle of offense and disappointment.
5. Like an oyster transforming an irritant into a pearl, we are invited to see relational irritations as opportunities for growth and deeper dependence on God. By bringing our hurts to Him, seeking His wisdom, and practicing forgiveness, we allow His love to shape us into people who offer mercy and abundance to others. This is a lifelong process that requires daily time in God’s presence.
Daily Hope Devotionals
Day 1: God’s "Chesed"—Unfailing, Steadfast Love
Scripture:
Psalm 103:8-12 NIV
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Devotional:
God’s love is not conditional or based on our performance; it is a steadfast, merciful, and unfailing love that pursues us even when we fall short or wander away. This love, described by the Hebrew word “chesed,” is the foundation of our relationship with God and the model for how we are called to love others—faithfully, compassionately, and without end. No matter how far we stray or how broken we feel, God’s love remains constant, healing, and abundant, inviting us to rest in His presence and be transformed by His mercy.
Reflection:
Where in your life do you need to let God’s steadfast love heal your wounds or fill the places that feel cracked and sore today?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I open my heart to Your love today. Fill the cracks and sore places within me with Your healing and abundance. Breathe into my soul and let me experience Your unfailing love. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Day 2: Jesus’ Unoffendable Love
Scripture:
John 13:34-35 NIV
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Devotional:
Jesus demonstrates a love that is unoffendable and consistent, loving even those who betray, deny, or abandon Him. He welcomes the outcast, forgives the sinner, and serves those who misunderstand or reject Him, showing us that true love is not swayed by others’ actions or status. This kind of love is not natural to us, but as we look to Jesus, we are invited to receive and reflect a love that is patient, forgiving, and grounded in God’s faithfulness, even when others let us down.
Reflection:
Who in your life is difficult for you to love without taking offence, and how might you show them unoffendable love this week?
Prayer:
Loving Father, teach me to be less easily offended. Help me to see irritants as opportunities to grow closer to You and to reflect Your mercy. Fill me with Your peace and patience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Day 3: Offense Reveals Our Heart’s Needs
Scripture:
Psalm 143:8 NIV
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Devotional:
Taking offence often reveals unmet needs or misplaced hopes in our hearts, showing where we are looking to others for affirmation, fulfilment, or security instead of trusting God’s love and provision. When we are easily offended, it may be a sign that we are not fully satisfied in God or that we are believing lies about His care for us. God invites us to bring these hurts and disappointments to Him, trusting that He sees, understands, and is able to meet every need with His unfailing love.
Reflection:
When was the last time you felt offended, and what deeper need or longing might that reaction be revealing about your relationship with God?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, my heart is often easily offended. Help me to see that when I take offence, it’s a sign that I am seeking fulfilment outside of Your love. Teach me to trust in Your unfailing love, to rely on Your presence, and to find my worth in You alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 4: Transforming Irritations into Kingdom Value
Scripture:
James 1:2-4 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV
Devotional:
Just as an oyster transforms an irritant into a pearl, we can allow the irritations and challenges in our relationships to become opportunities for growth and deeper dependence on God. Instead of reacting with resentment or bitterness, we are invited to seek God’s wisdom, wait for His response, and allow His presence to shape our hearts. Over time, these moments can produce something beautiful and valuable—love, mercy, and forgiveness that reflect God’s kingdom.
Reflection:
What is one recent relational irritation you can reframe as an invitation to grow in love and seek God’s presence today?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, just as the oyster transforms irritants into something beautiful, help me to see my daily frustrations as opportunities for growth and deeper connection with You. Produce in me love that is rich and valuable in Your kingdom. Amen.
Day 5: Living in the Stream of Mercy
Scripture:
Micah 6:8 NIV
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Devotional:
Living in the stream of God’s mercy means daily seeking Him in Scripture, prayer, and silence, allowing His forgiveness and abundance to flow through us to others. As we release offences, forgive, and overlook wrongs, we experience the power of God to meet all our needs and become people who give, reconcile, and love generously. This is a lifelong journey, but each day offers a new opportunity to step into the path of mercy and reflect God’s heart to the world.
Reflection:
How can you intentionally step into the stream of mercy today—through forgiveness, generosity, or seeking God’s presence in a specific relationship?
Prayer:
Lord, guide me into Your stream of mercy. Help me to forgive, give, and reconcile, trusting in Your abundance. May I live in Your power, free from holding onto offenses. Fill me with Your love today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Day 6: Being Loved by Jesus to be able to Love Like Jesus
Scripture:
Luke 7:37-38 NIV
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Devotional:
The woman at the dinner, despite her reputation, lavished love on Jesus because she knew she was loved unconditionally. Jesus showed her love and compassion. He gave her mercy when others chose to take offense.
Offence often reveals our need for God's love and trust. When we take offence, it shows we are looking for affirmation from others rather than trusting God's love for us.
Reflection:
Where do you need God's mercy in your life today? What offenses do you need to confess to God?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to love like Jesus—unoffendable and full of mercy. Teach me to see offences as opportunities for growth and to respond with kindness. Fill my heart with Your love so that I may reflect Your grace and mercy to those around me. Remind me that Your love is the foundation of all relationships. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Day 7: Loving as Jesus Loves
Scripture:
John 21:15 NIV
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Today, we reflect on Jesus’ gentle and persistent love for Peter, and how His question invites us into a deeper understanding of love—one rooted in selfless commitment, not just feelings or performance. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” not to shame him, but to restore and reaffirm their relationship after Peter’s denial. This mirrors God's unwavering love for us, a love that is steadfast, loyal, and unoffendable—'chesed' love.
Just as Jesus lovingly restores Peter, He calls us to love others in the same way—selflessly, patiently, and without conditions. Our love should reflect His love, which is not based on our feelings or performance but on His unshakable commitment to us. When we are offended or hurt, instead of turning away, we are invited to respond with mercy and grace, allowing God's love to transform our hearts.
Remember, Jesus’ love is not about perfection but about persistence. He loves us even when we stumble, deny, or fall short. His love calls us to grow in loving others with that same steadfastness, proving we are His disciples.
Reflection:
What past mistakes in relationships do you need to bring to God for His grace?
Which relationship is God placing on your heart to grow in love and patience?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your unwavering love for me. Help me to love others as You love me—selflessly, patiently, and without offence. Teach me to reflect Your chesed love in my daily life, especially when I am hurt or offended. Remind me that Your love is enough to heal and restore. Fill my heart with Your peace and grace, so I can love with Your kind of love today. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
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