GOD FIRST LOVED US!
GOD FIRST LOVED US!
We love Him because He first loved us. —I John 4:19
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. —I John 4:7-8
If we truly love God then this type of love will be seen in our lives which are mentioned below from I Corinthians 13.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. —I Corinthians 13:1-7
This type of love will develop in our lives if we truly love God. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19). And “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). As we grasp more and more the love of Christ then our tongue will speak from the maturing motivation of Godly love.
My speech will be affected. My service to God, to His people and to those who don’t know Him will be affected. My faith focus will be affected. My service to the poor will be affected. I will be patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, doesn’t keep account of wrongs, takes no pleasure in evil, rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.” Ok, this is self-examination for you and me. How are we doing with truly loving God and His people and all people? Are our lives truly being transformed? (Romans 12:2).
I read a true story that surely illustrates this type of love. A little girl had a life-threatening disease. Her little brother had already overcome this disease and his blood was a match for his sister to boast her immune system. He was asked if he was willing to give his blood to save his sister. He thought for a moment and then smiled and said, “Yes, I will give my blood to save my sister. As the transfusion was taking place the little boy asked the doctor when he would start to die. The little boy had misunderstood and thought that he was going to give all his blood to save his sister. This little boy was willing to die that his sister could live! Are we willing to die to self and selfishness that others may live through our loving them? May it be so!
Dear Father please help me to love You and love others. Be pleased that this would be the case for Your glory and for the benefit of others. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYV0ce3ybEA