Sunday, December 22, 2024 // Day 22
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. —1 John 4:7–12
GOD IS LOVE: PART 1
“Love” as a concept feels inescapable in our culture. So many songs, movies, advertisements, all centered around what the world thinks “love” is. It is so popular that love has almost lost some of its meaning and become a reflex. Who among us hasn’t ended an important phone call with an associate or stranger and said the accidental, “Love you, bye?”
So, we know how the world views love, but how should we view it as believers in Christ? For one, we know love is a fruit of the Spirit. We’re also called to be known by our love for one another, reflecting God’s love. In 1 John 4:7-12, we learn what love should look like in the life of a believer. Love originates from God; it flows from a close relationship with Him. God’s character is perfect, so His love is also perfect. Our love is a response to His love, not something we generate on our own. Those who seek and grow in their walk with Him will naturally show love – it’s not optional. If we do not love, it shows that we do not truly know God.
Christ’s life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate examples of perfect love. God loves us so much that He sent his only Son to die for our sins, so that we may be granted eternal life. We may hear this often, but we should never let it lose its “awe.” There is no love greater than the love of Jesus Christ. We know that because God first loved us, we must love others. We all have an innate desire to love, but true love doesn’t come from our efforts. It comes from submission to Christ and through the Spirit’s work in us. As John 15:5 reminds us, Christ is the vine, and we are the branches; without Him, our love is empty.
If we truly want to love, we must surrender to Him first. I know I struggle with this, feeling the weight of my sin and trying to make things right by my own efforts. Yet, I’m reminded that my love alone is weak and fleeting. God’s love, however, brings everlasting life and peace.
Noah and Haylee Emery
Noah and Haylee Emery