The Gift of Love
December 25th, 2009
Scripture:
“We love, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
Observation:
I love the simplicity of this verse. Its so cut and dry; so to the point. The reason we love is because God loved us to begin with. He is the author of love – the inventor of the idea of love. It all started with him. His love compels us to respond. It demands it. He loves, therefore we are to love others as a response to the love he bestows upon us. Its simple really, but there is a catch.
Application:
The problem arises in that we are always using our love as a way to get what we want. Whether its from other people or even from God we extend or withhold our love to manipulate things to our liking. Not always, but enough so that we miss the point entirely that our love is to be given our freely because we are loved by God when there is not any good reason that he should, other than he is love.
Therefore, we are to pursue love, for by doing so we enter into a holy enterprise. It is what is fitting for one loved first by God.
Prayer:
God thank you for being a God of love. Help me to show love to others, not for what it gets me, but because you loved me first. Amen.
—Darren Miley, student pastor, Reservoir campus