ZPCBlog

About the author: Avery Wright is a junior at Zionsville High School. Avery has been attending ZPC since she was young and loves being involved in HSM, and she enjoyed serving on the Girls Awakening Team this year. In her free time, Avery enjoys horseback riding, working out, traveling, being creative, hiking, and spending time with people she loves. 

Luke 23:50-56

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

Devotional

Did you ever notice that in the Bible, Jesus never actually said the words "I love you" to anyone? It's not in the Bible, not once. So, what does love really look like? 

Well, let's think about it. Love isn't just about saying the words, it's about showing it, right? And for Jesus, that's exactly what he did. It meant bearing scars, scars that tell a story of sacrifice and love deeper than we can imagine. 

Think about those moments from the verse above, when the world went dark, when Jesus took on everything for us. That's where you see the depth of his love shining through, in those moments when he gave everything so that we could have a chance at a real relationship with him. The curtain was torn, and now we have this incredible opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. That should change everything for us. 

We want to be reflections of Jesus, shining his light in the world. He wants us to shine brightly, like a city on a hill that can't be missed. To shine the kind of love he showed us, and the kind of love he wants us to show others.  

Let's work to love like Jesus. Jesus saved us from our sins. Let's be people who forgive others when everyone else chooses to condemn. Jesus trusted God even when he may have been tempted to walk away. Let's be a people who stay when others choose to leave. Jesus showed grace to those who hurt him. Let's be people who show grace and kindness when everyone else throws judgement. Jesus loved you so much he died for you. Let's aspire to be people who speak, act, and love like Jesus even when it's difficult. Let's work to be living proof of a loving God.  

Jesus might not have said "I love you" in so many words, but his actions spoke louder than any words ever could. The Bible reminds us that love isn't just about talk, it's about action. Jesus showed us the ultimate example of that when he willingly went to the cross for us.   

Prayer

Lord,
Thank you for loving me so much that you died for me. Thank you for being an example as to what sacrificial love looks like. Help me to love like you and shine your light even when it’s hard.
Amen