​By Meron Asnake (WITHIN Devotional Contributor)

As a child, I excelled in doing everything right. I was what you call a “by-the-book” type of girl. I did my homework on time, made good grades, stayed out of trouble, and did my chores. In addition, I was mostly an honest child; my mom knew everything I was always doing. Shockingly, it was by choice. I told her about who I was with, where I went, and what I did. If there were instances where I knew I had to lie, I removed myself from those situations, and kept a low profile. In doing so, I made sure she was not worried about me. I deduced that my brother was enough of a “problem child” for a single mama. Obnoxiously enough, I was a responsible child. Although there is nothing wrong in being a responsible child, there is something wrong in finding worth in that. Furthermore, what I did not share in the prior statements, is that I was compared with my brother. As a result, I interpreted the comparison as rejection that introduced longings to be accepted and affirmed in all spheres. Hence, I triumphed in my role of being a “goody two shoes.”
 
So, you can imagine my shock at the finished work of Christ. For a long time, the upside-down Kingdom of God did not make sense. It meant that I no longer needed to perform to earn God’s love; it was foreign concept to my actress soul, which thrived in applause. In some ways, I still find myself working for God’s approval. I occupy myself with things of God just in case He is keeping scores. Because when He finally realizes that I am a sinner, have fallen short, and in need of a savior, He may review his scoreboard before He revokes my adoption. However, it does not work that way for those of us who are CALLED. We are BELOVED in God the Father, who KEPT us for JESUS CHRIST (Jude 1b). And that deserves a shout of praise and a hallelujah!
 
In his letter, Jude identified the recipients as those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1b). He spoke into the identity that was bestowed by no man and can never be taken away. It then begs the questions to what He is trying to communicate with his audience. Why are they called, how are they loved, and who is keeping them? “To those whom God has called have been summoned into fellowship with Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9). God’s call is not merely an invitation to know Him, but it is a call that inevitably leads to faith in Him (Romans 8:30). And this calling deals with our past, present and future” (1).
 
 As a result, His great love with which He loved us (Ephesians 2:4), is experienced in our daily communion with Him. Once we are born again, we are forever kept for Him and in Him. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-4). Thus, we rest in the assurance of our inheritance in heaven that is secure and safe. It cannot be moved, or taken away (2) and that is a promise from God.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/memorize/meditate:

Jude 1-25
Romans 8:28-30
Ephesians 2-10


Questions to Reflect on:
​

1. Why are you called?  How are you loved? Who is keeping you?
2. Knowing the above answers, how should your life be affected by these realities?

For more detailed and in-depth study of the book of Jude, please refer to bible study, Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today’s Culture, by Jackie Hill Perry 

1. Jackie Hill Perry. Jude: Contending for The Faith in Today’s Culture. Page 23
2. Jackie Hill Perry. Jude: Contending for The Faith in Today’s Culture. Page 26

By Hannah Solomon Mesfin (WITHIN Devotional Contributor)

This weekend most of us had the chance to celebrate the ones we love so dear in our lives-whether that’s in romantic relationships, friendships or relationships in our family. We use this one particular day to express love to the fullest and show what someone means to us. And in the midst of all of this, the thought of enduring love rang so strongly in my heart. What kind of love endures through the test of time? What type of love endures through constant rejection? What love is always enduring? There’s only One I know and that is God’s love.
 
In Psalm 136 alone we see the phrase “His love endures forever” 26 times. In Psalm 118:1 we notice it says, “His lovingkindness endures forever”. Another translation says, “His steadfast love endures forever.” We see this word endure repeatedly. The word endure itself means to remain in existence. This word alone is not speaking just about God’s love but about God’s nature. God in nature is everlasting and anything that derives from God can only be eternal and everlasting as He is in nature. When we say God is love (1 John 4:8), we have to understand that love is who He is and not just what He gives out. From the beginning of creation, when God set in mind to create beings in His image, His love was already in existence because He already was in existence. And then to express His love in a profound way to His rebellious creation, He sent His one and only Son to take our place of punishment so that we may find everlasting life (John 3:16).
 
 The entire Bible is ultimately a love story from God to His children. God creates His creation out of love and makes us in His image (Genesis 1-2). Man fails and is alienated from God because of sin (Genesis 3). God then sends His Son, as an act of love, for His creation by wanting to redeem us to Him (John 3:16). Finally, as creation and His children, we eagerly await His return to be restored back to His initial plan; to live in perfect harmony and intimacy in everlasting love with the Father (Romans 8:19-23).
 
We can find so much hope in knowing that the love we find from God is never and will never be dependent on us. I have known many people to assume that God has stopped loving them or suddenly “fell out of love” with them because of their constant mistakes and sin. But when we begin to learn about the nature of God, we then understand that our shortcomings do not cause God to love us less. He is not like mankind for His love to be swayed by the motions of this world. God simply loves because He is love. If at any moment we feel His love is distant, it is only because we have chosen to reject it. Sometimes we reject His love out of pride, out of shame, out of embarrassment or at a lack of knowledge. Regardless of the situation, His love remains—it endures forever.
“For I am convinced beyond any doubt, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/memorize/meditate:

Psalm 118:1
Psalm 136
John 3:16
1 John 4:8
Romans 8:38-39
Questions to Reflect on:
​

1. Is there anything in my heart that might reject God’s love for me?
2. In moments of doubt, how can I hold fast to the truth of God’s love?
3. What/who am I allowing to dictate the perception I have of God’s love?