Tuesday Thought -- July 9, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for 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. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:7-12)

The supreme evidence of God’s character is the cross. A clear understanding of the cross makes it impossible to doubt God’s love. God was willing to send His one and only Son to make the sacrifice necessary to take away our sins. He didn’t have to. There was nothing compelling God to send His Son except His love for us. And His love for us is at the very core of His character. Nothing else is more important to Him. Nothing else compels Him like His love.

Our relationship with God did not start with a decision by man to seek after God in order to know Him. God sought us! He took the initiative to send His Son and we respond to that initiative.

Our relationship with God did not start with our love for God. God loved us first. He loved us when we did not love Him. He loved us when we were defiled and consumed by sin. He loved us when we were unlovable. We respond to His love, not He to ours!

And as we respond to His love for us by loving Him, He says, “love those around you, too.” God’s desire is to see us model His character, to see us model His love. Because God loves us, we love Him. Because we love Him, we come to love those around us.

His, by Grace,

Steve