Originally published Monday, 04 February 2013.
Here's a Sunday Meditation for you...
Day 3:
Filling up on His Love... Pouring His Love Out on Others: 1 John 4:7-21
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[a] 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 for[b] our 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.
(emphasis added)
We learn so much of God's love in this passage:
- Love comes from God
- God is love
- God showed His love by sending His one and only Son, Jesus
- God lives in us
- He has given us the Holy Spirit
- God, our Father, sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world
- We can know and rely on God's love
- If we acknowledge Jesus, God lives in us and we live in God
- His perfect love drives out fear
- Love is made complete among us, in our living in God and God living in us
His reliable, perfect love. Evidenced in the sacrifice of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Absent of fear. Completed in our unity with God, who is not just the source of the love. God is Love.
Meditate on this...
How we can love another, not because they deserve it or treat us well.
We love one another simply because God loved us before we loved Him.
And we can love our brother, not by our own power, but by the power of God who lives in us.
Think on this Scripture and ask God who He would have you love with His perfect love. How does He want you to live out that love?
Let God challenge you today.
SHARE
