"AND THIS IS LOVE..."
The Bible, God's Word, is the most beautifully written love story you will ever read. With sixty-six Books, beginning with Genesis and God's creation of the world, through Revelation and the Rapture of
the church, God shows His endless love for His children. In First John alone, the word "love" appears 33 times! This Book only contains five chapters ~ five wonderful chapters of God's unconditional love! "For this message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5
God is the absolute center of all that exists. All nature and all created things revolve around Him. He is also the center of all His people, who form a huge circle around Him. His purpose is to draw them
to Himself, their center, in eternal life.
"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3
"With loving kindness have I drawn thee" tells us that His love was first expressed in the kindness of our creation and continued care. But it is most beautifully expressed in the kindness of our salvation.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12,13 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
So great is God's love for us that Jesus gave up His life for us on the cross. What loving kindness was displayed ~ wonderful love indeed! That love connection, by faith, brings response and change. Those who have been touched by God's love in Christ are so moved that they no longer live for themselves, but for Him!
"Herein is love, not that we 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 ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at
any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 1John 4:10-13
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." Proverbs 8:17
"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid
meat unto them." Hosea 11:1,4 These words are quoted by Matthew and applied to Jesus. Israel and Jesus were alike in that both were the objects of the love of the Father; both were called "my son," and both were in Egypt. This chapter shows God's love for faithless Israel.
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea 14:4 God's never-changing love for Israel will one day bring about her repentance and restoration to
His full favor.
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1John 4:7,8 "A new
commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34,35
We cannot love God and hate a person at the same time. These two opposites cannot dwell in a human heart. The Spirit God has given to His believing children through faith in Christ, is a Spirit of love. We
may hate a person's actions, but not the person. We are to love everyone, even when there is nothing lovable about them. When we find that difficult, let us remember that is what Christ has done for us.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:43,44
The admonition "love your enemies" is one of the greatest statements Jesus ever made. The love enjoined in this passage is love that originates from God Himself. Man is not commanded to attempt to love his
enemy on the basis of mere human affection, but rather on the basis of a love that comes from God. The quality of love commanded here is expressed by giving. "Bless them" that curse you, "do good" to the
that hate you, and "pray" for them that persecute you. Loving an enemy involves doing good toward that enemy in order to win him over to Christ!
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." Ephesians 5:2
Sacrificial love characterizes the Christian life. We are now controlled by Christ's love. Christ's love is God's power at work in our lives.
Application: The love of God and the love that Christians show to one another is a sacrificial and unselfish love; a love that understands, that sympathizes, that plans, that works, that gives. It is the kind
of love that prompted God to send His own Son to suffer and die for people who did not deserve it. Are we loving one another in such a way that would be pleasing to Him?
Today's Devotion:
"And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." 2John 6
"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen" Ephesians 6:24
