Today we're going take in 1 John 4:7-21. Give it a good listen with your heart. As you read through it again, what is the Holy Spirit laying on your heart? Here's mine:
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (v. 12).
You can tell how close a person is to God by how much love they show to other people. They have an over-sized capacity for love because they hang out regularly with the Source of pure, concentrated love. When we show someone love, we're showing them God. That's pretty awesome.
What kind of love, though? "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" (v. 9). We're talking about the kind of love that is life-giving. It's when I stop being so consumed with myself and even deny my own wants for the good of someone else. If I will love my family like that I'll see a huge return in love coming back to me. But it may take time and patience before those returns come. Right now, my focus has to be on making sure I give them everything they really need to thrive that I have the power to give, starting with myself--my time, my patience, my service, my presence, my tenderness, my encouragement, my loyalty. God, show me how to love like you do.
Now, why not share your thoughts?
This is so true! I agree completely. I wish I could be a better person, and I am trying to be. I am as close to God as I think I can be, but I know I am not close enough. God loves me, and has tought me to love others as he has loved me.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this passage, God brought to my mind the time before I was a Christ follower. I did not understand what real love was and therefore did not have the capacity to give fully of myself.....my time, patience, tenderness, etc...to my son (or anyone else for that matter). Now that the Holy Spirit lives in me, I should be able to love as Christ loves....but as a human being I fail regularly. It is only when I completely surrender myself and ask God to consume me w/ his overflowing love, am I able to show Christ's love.
ReplyDeleteAnd as we live in God, our love grows more perfect......(v. 17)
Great thoughts, guys. Thanks for sharing them!
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