01/26/2021
It’s God’s Love for You
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.
─ 1 John 4:9-11 ESV
It’s God’s Love for You
Jeremy held people at bay for years. He closed himself off from new relationships because of past hurts from those he once trusted. Sadly, he could count on one hand those he could depend on … and none of those were family members.
The trauma that had yet to heal caused him to have a skewed image of God’s love. Then, one evening, as he listened to 1 John 4:9-11 read aloud through an app on his phone, the truth of God’s love opened his eyes to a new understanding – it is not about our ability to love God, but His ability to love each one of us unconditionally, abundantly, with no strings attached.
God’s love became tangible to Jeremy. He finally realized it was never about anything he could or couldn’t do to love God. God loved him, no matter what. And it was God’s love that could teach him how to love. God could love through him; all he needed to do she was surrender. That evening, Jeremy opened his heart completely and allowed God’s love to flow in a new way.
The perfect picture of how much God loves you is illustrated through God’s actions – when He sent His Son to die in exchange for your eternal life. When you come to realize how very much He loves you, then you can do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14). It’s a decision on your part to allow His love to work through you. You can love because He first loved you.
Today’s One Thing
Close your eyes and think about the great sacrifice God made to give you eternal life. He loved you that much! Thank God for His gift of love, and ask Him to help you show His love to others this week.
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