Reflections of Grace

ABIDING IN THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture

1 John 4:9-16

⁹In 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.¹⁰In 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.¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.¹⁵Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.¹⁶So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Reflect

1.In verse 9, how does the sending of Jesus help you see that God’s love is not just an idea, but an action toward you?
2.Verse 10 says that love begins not with your love for God, but with his love for you. How does that truth challenge the way you think about your relationship with him?
3.Who is one person God may be calling you to love more intentionally because of the love you have received from him?

Exposition

Sometimes we measure love by how we feel, how others treat us, or how well we think we are doing spiritually. When life is hard, when relationships disappoint us, or when we become painfully aware of our own failures, we may wonder if God’s love is still steady toward us. But John reminds us that God’s love is not first proven by our emotions or performance. God’s love is shown clearly in Jesus. The Father sent his Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love did not begin with us reaching up to God. That gives us deep hope. We do not have to live unsure of God’s heart. The cross shows us that his love is real, costly, and personal. When you feel unlovable, look again at Jesus. When you feel empty, remember that God’s love is not running out. The love that saved you is the love that sustains you. And this love is meant to flow through us. Because God has loved us, we are called to love one another. we love because we have received it. As we confess Christ, trust his love, and remain in him, our lives become small windows through which others can see the heart of God.

Prayer

“Father, thank you for loving me first and showing that love through Jesus. Help me rest in your love when I feel weak, unworthy, or unsure. Teach me to love others with the same grace and patience you have shown me. Let my life reflect your love in simple and faithful ways.”

LWNRA · Daily Word

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