Living God's Love Toward Others

"Today's Devotion" For March 14, 2005

Read: I John 4:7-14
Romans 5:31-39

LIVING GOD'S LOVE TOWARD OTHERS

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins." (I Jn. 4:10)

It is no small task to love someone. In Scripture, God talks about "love" in different ways, and the Hebrew and Greek reflect the various meanings. What is a challenge for us, is that translating these words for "love" into English leaves us with just one word-"love"-with many nuances of meaning. The most important meaning is the one that relates to God's love for us, and the word used in the Greek "agape." Its meaning is so profound, that its what makes loving others so very difficult. It calls for us to be selfless and totally giving, when our natural inclination is to love conditionally, that is, based on whether people respond positively or not, and whether we like them or not.

John makes it clear that the measure of "love" to which we aspire as God's children, is the same measure of "love" that God shows to us. It puts God above all things; It's selfless, putting others before ourselves; It's sacrificial, willing to give even unto death. John points out that that's what God did for us, sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and our world, to take our place and pay the penalty for our sins that we deserve to pay. He became the propitiation, or atonement, for our sins (I Jn. 4:10). In His great love for us, our heavenly Father accepted that sacrifice for our sins and showed that acceptance and love by raising Jesus from the grave. In and through our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, we receive the Father's forgiveness and peace for all our sins and His blessed assurance that He remembers our sins no more.

As we exercise the love we receive from our Heavenly Father, through Jesus, we touch the lives of others with God's grace and mercy. We are given precious opportunities everyday to exercise the same love, that "agape," that God showers upon us in Jesus Christ. In our daily contacts with family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, fellow students, and every stranger we meet we have the special privilege of showing them genuine concern for their welfare and their relationship with God. Because of God's great love for us we are given the marvelous privilege of sharing the forgiveness of sins in Christ with everyone. We exercise that love when we sacrifice our comfort for the welfare of others, especially the needy, the e hungry, and those in need of clothing and shelter. When we exercise that "agape" in our daily living we are introducing people to Jesus Who will reveal the Father to them. It's a wonderful blessing to know God's love as revealed in Jesus Christ, and to selflessly share that love with others as the beloved and redeemed children of our heavenly Father.

Prayer: Father, I know that I'm not really the best example of Your love. It's pretty easy for me to look for the flaws in others, and to put my needs first, before I care for those around me. Often, I love conditionally, putting parameters on my love, and responding to others based on whether their responses toward me are positive or negative. Father, I beg Your forgiveness for the sake of Christ Jesus Who is the propitiation for all of my sins and the sins of the whole world. Help me to live in that forgiveness and reflect that love to others. For Jesus' sake I ask this. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.