God Is Love

From a parent to a child, from a husband and wife, in tennis, from Romeo and Juliet, from the end of a letter, to British ‘friendly form of address,’ the word ‘love’ is shown and is all around us.

But in today’s world the word ‘love’ has seemed to become deluded.

However, 1 John 4: 7-21 is all about God’s love. God’s love is different than the love of shoes or the love a boyfriend or girlfriend. His love is more than the love of a parent. It isn’t just affection or endearment.

Adriana Cecchi / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

“This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.” 1 John 4:10 MSG

Think back to when you were not a Christian, God loved you, but you didn’t know who God was or you didn’t love God. God still loved you. He will always love you.

There are very few human relationships – if any – where the love is only one directional.

What I would also like to point out is the last part of the verse, ‘to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.’  We’ve all had damage or a misunderstanding or just a plain old break up from friends, or family. But God clears away the damage. The wrongs become righted. We are forgiven. The damage is gone.

“Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God.” 1 John 4:7b MSG

Everyone has the opportunity to have a relationship with God no matter your past, race, or class. He will always take care of us. He will always love us no matter how far we’ve fallen. He always be with us and guide us.

digital-dreams / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Attention needs to be drawn to the verse that says ‘experiences a relationship with God.’ Not has, or will have, but experiences. You have to reach out to God. You have to become a Christian. God is always at your heart knocking, but he won’t force you. He’s always there, but you have to consciously and lovingly open the door to Him and let Him in.

“When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us.” 1 John 4:17a MSG

A life of love. This is be what being a Christian means. God’s greatest commandment was to love. (Mark 12:30-31) Love is what God is all about.

We live in God. God is love. We will live in love.

“This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.”  1 John 4:17b MSG

We not only have to love God, but also love people.

Yes, this may sound easy at first, but to love everyone is what God wants.

He wants us to love the drunk, the obnoxious neighbor, the rude co- worker, the prisoner.

Not only to love, but to show love.

We may have ‘head-knowledge’ of love for others, but also it needs to be in our hearts, only then can it be shone through our hands and feet – our actions. Through our actions we can show what is in our hearts – love for others because we love God.

“But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us.” 1 John 4:12 MSG

Perfect love. That’s what we all want.

It’s impossible to have a perfect love with a human. But is wonderfully possible to have a perfect love with our Savior!

I invite you to dive deeper into his love and share your love also!