THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 John 1-5
“We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
As I read through this letter, the theme of love comes through clearly.
Not syrupy emotional love, but an active radical love that sees past our sin.
A love that humbly denies self to restore sinners, to forgive and bless.
God is love, and everything He does (including judgment) flows from that love.
In love God has restored us to new (or eternal) life, and that life ought to show.
It is not just life beyond the grave, but new life now, a new way of living.
Enabled by His Spirit, His love ought to be evident in and through us.
We love BECAUSE He has lavished His love on us; His overflows through us.
How do we know we are connected to God and Jesus – we want to love others.
It is this desire, and not the perfect implementation, that marks us.
We know we fail, we know we still hate, we know we fall short of God’s perfect love.
But we also know that God loves us anyway, and helps us to grow in love.
We hate our lack of love, and we want to be different, we want to change.
Do you deeply wish you could be more loving, and are you trying to make it so?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I do not love or serve enough. My old self still holds me back. But I hate it, and I sense Your Spirit in me prompting me to change. Help me to cooperate and grow in this kind of love.