2023-24 Game Plan 4 LIFE Theme: Love
[See previous devotionals]

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July 2023

LOVE HIM
by Dan Wood, Executive Director, NCCAA

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” - John 14:21 (NIV)
 
As we kick-off the 2023-24 academic year, the Year of Love within the NCCAA’s Game Plan 4 LIFE, please humbly dwell on the truth of John 14:21 and Jesus’ words regarding those who will be deemed to have loved Him once He had been crucified and resurrected. He is clear that it will be those who have His commandments and then CHOOSE to keep those commandments. The reality of the ongoing story of Christ followers revolves around those who keep the commandments, not on those who had them and opted to disobey or neglect them. Jesus repeats this truth in verses 15 and 23 and goes deeper to reveal that those who do not love Him will not obey. Simple math…have them + keep them = Love Him!
 
No summary is needed, and brevity lends itself to this simple challenge that comes directly from Jesus Christ to us all in this new year as we serve the over 23,000 student-athletes entrusted to us:
 
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)