Since we launched the 16 Day Love Challenge, love has been at the forefront of my thoughts.
One of my favorite passages on love is found in 1 John 4. I’ve included it below and some of my thoughts below that.
My prayer for you today is that these holy words and (maybe) my thoughts on them will spur you to meditate on God’s love.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice forour sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 John 4:7-21, NIV
If we are having trouble loving in a particular area, it is because we don’t know that part of God.
If we think that love is going to be easy and free, think again! Love is hard and it costs…a lot.
If we think that we get to pick and choose who we get to love, we’ve got that wrong, too. God loves all of us, lovely and lovable…or not.
We are responsible to love others because God loves us. That’s as simple as it gets.
The Holy Spirit living inside of us is proof that God loves us.
God is love and so love lives inside us…that puts a new spin on things. Love lives IN us, and we live IN love.
Because we live IN love and love lives IN us, we don’t have to have any fear. God’s perfect love drives out fear. If we still have fear, we need to know more of God’s love. So, if you’re afraid, ask God to continue to perfect you in love.
We are only capable of loving because God loved us first.
If you don’t love your brother (that means anyone!) you don’t have God’s love living in you. This is a high standard, unattainable without the power of the Holy Spirit..but remember that we have been given the Holy Spirit. (And that is great news!)
Will you please share your thoughts on love with us here?
With His love,
Rebecca
