DAILY TEXT, Today Tuesday, March 26, 2024, The love of Christ obliges us, so that those who live no longer live for themselves (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Tuesday March 26, 2024

The love of Christ obliges us, so that those who live no longer live for themselves (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).

When someone very dear to us dies, we feel a huge emptiness. We may only feel pain at first, especially if the person suffered a lot before dying. Over time, we may remember details about the loved one that help us regain joy, for example, something they taught us or something they did or said to cheer us up or make us smile. The same goes for the suffering and death of Jesus. It fills us with pain to read what the Bible tells, as we do during the Memorial season, when we spend more time reflecting on the great value of his sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:24, 25). But, as we think about the things Jesus did and said when he was on Earth, we feel very happy. It also gives us strength to think about what he is doing now and what he will do for us in the future. w23.01 26 paras. 1, 2.

GRATITUDE DRIVES US TO FULLY FOLLOW JESUS

What reasons do we have to be grateful for the rescue?

Meditating on the life and death of Jesus fills us with gratitude. During his ministry on Earth, he taught people the good things that the Kingdom of God will accomplish. For us, these Kingdom truths are very valuable. We are very grateful for the rescue, because it allows us to be good friends of Jehovah and Jesus. Those of us who demonstrate faith in Jesus also have the hope of living forever and of seeing our loved ones who have died again (John 5:28, 29; Rom. 6:23). In reality, we have done nothing to deserve these blessings. We will never be able to repay God and Christ for all they have done for us (Rom. 5:8, 20, 21). But how can we show them that we are very grateful? Let's see.

What did Mary Magdalene do to show that she was grateful for what Jesus had done for her?

Let's think about the example of a Jewish woman named Mary Magdalene. She suffered a lot, because she was possessed by seven demons that tormented her. Maybe she thought her situation was hopeless. Can we imagine what it meant to her when Jesus freed her from those demons? She must have felt very grateful. That is why she became a follower of Christ and used her time, energy, and property to minister to Him during her ministry (Luke 8:1-3). Although Mary greatly valued what Jesus had done for her personally, perhaps she did not fully understand the immense gift he was soon going to offer. Jesus would give his life for humanity so that anyone who demonstrated faith in him would receive eternal life (John 3:16). Anyway, she Maria showed with her loyalty that she was very grateful. When Jesus was nailed to the tree, she stayed nearby to support Jesus and others who were present (John 19:25). And when Jesus was in the tomb, Mary and two other women brought spices to apply to Jesus' body (Mark 16:1, 2). Jehovah generously rewarded Mary's loyalty. What great joy he had when he saw the resurrected Jesus and was able to talk with him! That was an honor that very few disciples had (John 20:11-18).

How can we show our gratitude for all that Jehovah and Jesus have done for us?

We too can show that we appreciate all that Jehovah and Jesus have done for us. As? Using our time, our energies and our financial resources to promote Kingdom activities. For example, we can offer to help with the construction and maintenance of the buildings we use to worship Jehovah.

Why do we say that the rescue is a gift for each of us?

When we think of the great love that Jehovah and Jesus have for us, we feel the desire to love them too. (1 John 4:10, 19) And we love them even more when we understand that Jesus died for each of us. The apostle Paul was very grateful for this gift. Therefore, in his letter to the Galatians he wrote: “The Son of God […] loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, Jehovah drew you to be his friend (John 6:44). Aren't you touched to know that Jehovah saw something good in you and paid the highest price possible to give you his friendship? Doesn't that fill you with love for Jehovah and Jesus? That is why we can all ask ourselves: “What will drive me to make that love?”