Biweekly Devotional 8-18-2026

Published by Pastor Harry Zuraski in Biweekly Devotional · Tuesday 18 Aug 2026 · 2 minutes
Tags: Biweekly, Devotional, 8, 18, 2026

Ephesians 5:1 – 2 (Easy-to-Read)

You are God’s dear children, so try to be like him. Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. He gave himself for us—a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.

Joy Through Unselfish Love

True joy is rooted in unselfish love, a principle that Jesus consistently taught and that is evident throughout the Gospels and the New Testament. However, we often confuse happiness with joy, seeing only our own fleeting excitement as the essence of joy. This misunderstanding leads us to mistake the thrill of acquiring material possessions for the deeper joy that comes from serving others. Unfortunately, the pursuit of material gain frequently happens at the expense of others, causing us to live in ways that go against God’s law.

The happiness we experience from obtaining possessions is always temporary and demands constant replenishment. In contrast, the joy that comes from serving others in love is enduring and surpasses human understanding. We can only serve Christ as we are called to do when we set aside our earthly desires for power and possessions, embracing the joy found in loving others.