For God So Loved…

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As I read our Verse of the Day, I thought about how succinct the Gospel message is presented in this single verse … so familiar to us all. It aligns with our continued focus on the command to love one another. Knowing how God loves us sharpens our vision and lays the foundation for all Jesus taught when He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35) And so, John 3:16, speaks to the depth of God’s love for His people … such that He Himself would atone for the sins of the whole world … from creation to the present and for all eternity. (Cf. Hebrews 7:26-28, 9:27-28) Paul affirmed this same truth when he penned: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) And likewise, John reiterated, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (Cf. 1 John 4:10)

In 1 Corinthians 13, we saw the characteristics of sincere love that should permeates our lives. And we can see those characteristics manifested within the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Cf. Galatians 5:22-23) Indeed, love is not contrary to the Law … the will of God; rather, love fulfills the Law and the commands of God. In 1 John 4:8, the Apostle John said, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” And His love never fails! Love is His covenant with His people. There is nothing that will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Cf. Romans 8:39)

So, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day in our myriad of traditions, I pray we will reflect on the source of all love … our Heavenly Father.  I pray the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 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. (Cf. Ephesians 3:16-19) Yes, and I pray that you will come to see and to know within your hearts what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (Cf. 1 John 3:1) Yes, may this understanding and the peace that it brings be yours in abundance today and always.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ~ Romans 12:1