Devotional: Acts 20:28

There are many things that we can learn from Paul's heartfelt, farewell address to the Ephesian elders. The one that always encourages the most is that our love for the church must be based on God:

"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20.28).

Often times, our love for the church is based on everything but God. Usually it's based on ourselves (e.g., our mood, our preferences, our role) or on the person (e.g., how nice they are, if they can benefit us somehow). In this verse, Paul mentions two things that should motivate our love for the church: God has appointed us ("made you overseers") and God has sacrificed for the church ("he obtained with his own blood").

Let us continue to love each other with a love that is not based on ourselves or on the person, but based on God's calling on us and his sacrifice for the church.