Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. 1 John 4:11-12 NABRE
John’s first letter to his community includes an amazing treatment on love. He tells us God is love. If we do not know love, we do not know God. God showed his love by sending His only Son. John called us the beloved, because we are loved, first by God and then by other followers. How do we know? If God loved us, we must love one another. It is crucial, no one will believe we are followers if we don’t love one another. God has never been seen, but Jesus revealed the Father to us. So if we know Jesus, and we love, we too can reveal God to others, through love God remains in us. If we love like God then His love is made perfect. But this love is not just any love, like we would say about food, a place or even something we own. To love like God we should be willing to give up all the “things” we love for someone else. Christian love is giving your life for another. Jesus set the example by giving His life so that we may know love. Followers of Jesus imitate this love. Jesus’ love is a costly love, it leads us out of darkness into the light. Loving means others come first, we are secondary. This is the love God wants us to represent. Jesus loved so deeply that he gave His life not only for friends but enemies. When we love, the who shouldn’t matter, just our willingness to do whatever it takes for the other, friend or adversary.
If you think this sounds impossible than you need to ask for help. Pray to the Spirit who dwells in you to know the best way to love the other. The Spirit will give you power, and courage to love as Jesus loves.
Does this message sound too hard? How would you like to be the recipient of this love from an enemy?
Jesus' love is a costly love, it leads us out of darkness into the light. Loving means others come first, we are secondary. This is the love God wants us to represent. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity#dailybibleverse @youversion#BeAnEncourager #giving #love #John#everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist#jesussaves #godisgood#dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture#bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray#prayer #goodnews #loveeachother#godisgreat #thisVineyard#youversion #everythingalways