Daily Bible Study. Our Love for God. Winter Vol. 37, No. 2. A Word From the Editor 1. Our Writers for This Quarter 2

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3 Daily Bible Study Winter Vol. 37, No. 2 A Word From the Editor 1 Our Writers for This Quarter 2 Introduction to the Study 3 Clara Welch Our Love for God Unit 1: God Commands Our Love, Respect, and Obedience 5 November 26 December 30 Randy Cross Unit 2: Loving God by Trusting Christ 40 December 31 February 3 Clara Welch Editorial and Design Team Jan Turrentine, Editor Tonya Williams, Production Editor Ken M. Strickland, Designer Administrative Team Rev. Brian K. Milford, President and Publisher Marjorie M. Pon, Editor, Church School Publications Daily Bible Study is designed to help adults better understand the biblical message for their lives. Daily Bible Study (ISSN X) is published quarterly by The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily Bible Study, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN Copyright 2018 by Cokesbury. To order copies of this publication, call toll free: FAX your order to Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Telex Telephone: Automated order system is available after office hours. Order through Cokesbury.com. Use your Cokesbury account, American Express, Visa, Discover, or MasterCard. For permission to reproduce any material in this publication, call ; or write to Permissions Office, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee Scripture quotations are taken from the Common English Bible, copyright Used by permission. All rights reserved. New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The CEB Study Bible, Copyright 2013 Common English Bible. Bible studies are based on Home Daily Bible Readings, copyright 2016 by the Committee on the Uniform Series. Cover photo: Shutterstock Unit 3: Love Songs That Glorify God 75 February 4 February 24 Martha Myre

4 A Word From the Editor The Enchanted Cottage is an old very old (1945) movie that tells the story of a battle-scarred former soldier and the homely maid who works at the cottage where he was supposed to have spent his honeymoon. Now he is there alone, solely to recover from his horrific injuries. As the movie begins, the woman is, quite frankly, unattractive; and the man, because of his wounds, is difficult to look at. Nonetheless, the two develop something of a bond and agree to marry, more out of loneliness than anything else. After they marry, however, they begin to look at each other differently, and they begin to look different to each other beautiful, in fact. They fall genuinely in love. Their self-confidence grows, and they begin to treat each other as the beloved people they are. Others around them begin to see them differently, too. And ever so slowly, thanks to the clever (for that time) work of the movie s director and makeup crew, the audience begins to see not the plain-looking woman and the disfigured man, but a stunningly beautiful couple. That s what love does. It transforms. It s not a perfect illustration, but this story nonetheless reminds us of the power of love God s love for us and our love for God. It transforms us, changing the way we see ourselves and the way we see others. When we are loved, we see differently, we live differently, and we love differently. It begins with our response to God s love in the advent of Christ. Knowing the security of that love, that nothing can stop God from loving us, motivates and empowers us to pursue our best selves, to become the people God created us to be. God s love for us compels us to love God wholeheartedly, obey God faithfully, follow Jesus devotedly, and praise God endlessly. Another way we demonstrate our love for God is in the way we treat others. Because we have experienced the selfgiving love of Christ and have been transformed by it, we are able to share that transforming love with others. Because we have received forgiveness, we can forgive. Because God has welcomed us, we can welcome others, sharing with them the grace and mercy we have experienced. Because we live in the presence of God, we can extend that divine presence to them. Our readings this quarter challenge us to consider and evaluate our love for God. Do we love God wholeheartedly, obey God faithfully, follow Jesus devotedly, and praise God endlessly? Do we love others the way God loves us? Does the way we live reflect the love we say we have for God? Jesus said, Remain in my love.... love each other just as I have loved you (John 15:9, 12). Jan Turrentine Editor WINTER

5 Our Writers for This Quarter Clara K. Welch Clara K. Welch is an ordained deacon in the North Georgia Conference. She holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania; a master s degree in Christian education and church music from Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee; and a master of theological studies degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She has served as a music teacher in two elementary schools related to the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky and has served United Methodist churches in Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia in the areas of Christian education, children s music, and older adult ministry. Currently, Clara serves her local church in the areas of pastoral care and Christian education. She also teaches piano lessons, and her students often perform Christmas and spring recitals at a nearby assisted-living community. Clara and her husband, Brian, have one daughter, Rebecca Jo, who recently graduated from veterinary school. As they adjust to life as empty-nesters, Clara and Brian enjoy gardening, trying new recipes, hiking, and listening to their daughter s stories about the life of a veterinarian. Randy Cross Randy Cross is the superintendent of the Prairie Hills District of The United Methodist Church in the Dakotas Annual Conference. He has previously served as the assistant general secretary for The United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee, and as a district superintendent for the Lower James River District in the Dakotas. He has written curriculum for United Methodist churches for over 25 years. Randy and his wife, Cheri, have two adult sons, Aaron and Adam. The Crosses make their home in Rapid City, South Dakota. You may contact Randy at randycross57@gmail.com. 2 Martha Myre Martha Myre is an ordained elder in the North Texas Conference, with a ministry of teaching and writing. Her background is diverse, with a degree from Vanderbilt University in molecular biology, as well as the more usual degrees from Perkins School of Theology (MTS) and Southern Methodist University (PhD in Hebrew Bible). Martha enjoys music and reading, and she has three adult children. She is serving as the pastor of Parkrose United Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon, in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. She is loving being back in full-time ministry with the people of Northeast Portland and looks forward to exploring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. You can reach Martha at mvmyre@gmail.com. DAILY BIBLE STUDY

6 Monday November 26 What is your core responsibility as a faithful person? Our tawny-colored cat, Hermes, acts more like a dog than a feline. He likes to play fetch and will bring different items from rubber bands to half a plastic Easter egg for us to throw and wait for him to retrieve and drop back at our feet. No matter how long I have been out of the house, from all day down to 30 seconds to check the mail, Hermes greets me at the door, flipping and rolling and demanding pats and scratches. He is adamant in his work of making sure everyone is awakened at the proper hour, even if they don t want to get up, by howling and scratching the door if it is closed. He is relentless! Sometimes after Hermes has been so persistent, I want to tell him that he doesn t need to take the burden of the entire house on his little shoulders. He is so serious and earnest in his work to make sure things continue to operate in the Cross home. He is a cat of responsibility. Our Scripture today may indeed be Jesus greatest teaching. He was able to distill the entire law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets of Israel into the single commandment to love God and love neighbor. Every faithful Jew and after the Resurrection, every faithful Christian has been called to consider this commandment as he or she lives out daily life. All of our words, actions, and thoughts should be wrapped up in this critically important responsibility as the followers of Christ. Matthew 22:37-40 The Most Important Instruction But it is amazing how distracted we can become, even as we follow Christ. Unlike Hermes, who is crystal clear about his work as a cat in our home, we at times wander away from this core responsibility. For instance, we may spend a great deal of time criticizing the actions and lifestyles of others, as though that is our responsibility. We may demand consideration from others for our own lives, as though others exist to take care of us. We may even ignore or set aside the needs of others who indeed are our neighbors. It is almost as if we have heard the commandment to say, Make sure God and your neighbor love you as you love yourself! In our effort to live lives of meaning and purpose, at times we unfortunately focus on ourselves and our own needs and forget what is to be the core of our life s work: love of God and love of neighbor. That s why prayer and the sabbath are so critical for our lives. They become time that is set apart to refocus and reorient our important faithful work. When we are exhausted and distracted, how can we possibly stay fully aware of what God commands us, invites us, creates us to do? Maybe it s time for us to follow Hermes s lead. Maybe it s time for us to envelop our lives in the love of others as the most important thing we can do. How could you change parts of your life to make love of God and neighbor your core? Dear God, help me to love you and your children more dearly. Amen. WINTER