Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:7-12
We’ve been spending time for two weeks with the church of Corinth. A church in conflict over leadership, worship practices and who can claim to be the most spiritual. Paul seeks to resolve this conflict by reminding them of the basic principles of living lives as Jesus followers – including love.
The 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is a “go to” section when we need to figure out what love is – but another “go to” is the 1st letter of John – the 4th chapter.
The author lets us know that the source of love is God, and that by loving each other we actually SEE – experience – God’s presence among us!
Here’s the trick, love is not easy. It isn’t something you can just fall into or “figure out” without God.
You see, we learn how to love by spending time with God. Reading God’s word, prayer, worship and spending time with God’s people immerses us in God’s presence – and when we are immersed in God’s presence, we grow in love. Through the power of God’s Holy Spirit we are gifted with Godly love, the kind of love that does not seek its own way; the kind of love that has no hidden agenda; the kind of love that only seeks what is best for our neighbor.
Let’s pray:
Gracious God, fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we might know more of you love! May we be equipped to share that love with everyone we meet. Amen.
