Week 34
1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
One of the most common quandaries in this world has to do with whether or not there is love in this world. Spouses love each other, parents love their children, and friends love their friends. But when one steps back and looks at relationships in this world, one finds a plethora of broken marriages, family relationships, and friendships. Does love truly exist in this world?
John wrote in our text something vital to understand – love is not a fundamental characteristic of sinners, or even of humans. Love is a fundamental quality of God’s character and nature. God is love (1 John 4:8), and God’s love is most profoundly and obviously seen in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. God’s love drove Him to send His Son, Jesus, to this earth to die for our sins and to save us. The cross is the proof of the love of God for His people.
In addition, we humans can see the love of God in the cross of Jesus Christ. It is through the cross of Christ, and the sacrifice that Jesus made there for us, that we see the true nature of love. Jesus loved the Father; thus, He yielded to the Father’s will. The Father loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son for our sins on the cross.
In this way, Christians have the model of what love is and how to express love. We love proactively, not waiting to be loved before we express our love to people. We love sacrificially, giving of ourselves (even when it hurts to do so) to those to whom we express love. Love is willing to pay the price to be expressed, even when it is hard. Love measures itself by the benefits derived by the one loved. Jesus loved us in order to save us. We love because of the benefits gained by the one we love. There is a joy in love, and we love because of joy. There is no joy without love, and wherever love is expressed, there is joy in the sharing of love, no matter what else happens.
Christian friend, we are called by the Lord of love to live lives of love, giving ourselves for the benefit of others. We are called to endure sacrifices and pain that we might do the hard work of helping others because of love. Love is its own reward. There is nothing like love in all the world. Will we love, even though it is hard to do so? Will we pay the price to love, as we should? Are we willing to love others for Jesus sake that they might gain great blessings in their souls? May the Lord give us strength, courage, and faithfulness to love as we should for God’s glory.
Prayer: Dear Lord, it is so hard for me to love others, especially those who are unloving to me. Please help me to live my life as Jesus sought to live His – in sacrificial love and service. Amen.
