asbc seek devotionals 2025 2 - Flipbook - Page 20
DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL | ALFRED STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
Day 8: Beyond the
Exchange
MIN. OTIS BYRD, JR.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave…”
– John 3:16a NRSVUE
Love is often misunderstood, don’t you think? In a world where we’re taught that everything
is a give-and-take—”You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”—it’s hard to grasp a love that
doesn’t work that way. But true love, the love God shows us, isn’t transactional. It’s not about
what we can give back in return. It’s not about keeping score or doing something because we’ll
get something out of it later.
Real love is patient and kind. It doesn’t demand anything in return, and it isn’t quick to
get frustrated or walk away. It’s long-suffering—meaning it endures, even when it’s not
reciprocated. And isn’t that exactly what God did for us?
Think about it: God sent His Son, Jesus, knowing we were totally undeserving of such an
incredible gift. We had no way to repay Him, no way to make ourselves worthy. But He gave
His best anyway. That’s love right there. We should not expect anything back, not because we
could ever “earn” it, but simply because He loves us with a love that goes beyond what we
could ever imagine or understand.
And that’s the kind of love we’re called to—a love that doesn’t measure, demand, or wait
for something in return. We love because He first loved us—sacrificially, freely, without
conditions. That’s the love we’re meant to show others, too. So, let’s reflect on how God loves
us and challenge ourselves to love in the same way.
JOURNAL
REFLECTIONS
How might we position and challenge
ourselves to live out love beyond reciprocity
and personal benefit?
20
PRAYER
Lord, help me daily accept the challenge of a love that
goes beyond the exchange of what is expected. Amen.
