Scripture to reflect upon
- John 15:12,
- Rom 5:8,
- 1 John 3:1,
- 1 Cor 13:4-7,
- John 3:16,
Devotional thought
The Christmas season is great for helping us to slow down and reflect over the past year in order to see how we conducted our lives and what we need to improve upon. So I hope that this post will encourage all of us to look into ourselves and ask the question of how well we are loving God and others in our lives right now.
If we are deficient in this are then we need to begin with reminding ourselves of how much we are loved by our Father in heaven, because we will not be able to give that which we do not have inside of ourselves.
John 1:12 says, “But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children”. Also it says in 1 John 3:1, “(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children—and indeed we are!…”
In Deuteronomy 6:5 we are told to “…love the Lord your God with our whole mind, our whole being, and all our strength.” The essential aspect of our Covenant with the Lord is love (covenant means a binding agreement)! There is nothing more important to God than for us to understand His love for us and that we would in return love Him.
Love came down to earth from Heaven, His name is Jesus! He is the expressed image of the Father’s love and dedication to humanity. God is love, and when He came to earth He brought love with Him. That love will transform anyone’s life that comes to Him by faith and lives according to His ways.
Love for God and love for one another are the two commands that sum up all of the other commands. There is no greater command in all of the Scriptures then for us to love! In John 15:12 Jesus tells us to love one another as He has loved us!
How has Jesus loved us?
Completely! Meaning; no holding back, sacrificially, by enduring pain and suffering to the point of death! His love took Him to the Cross. He told us that no greater love has anyone than this, that one would lay down His life for another! That is true love, to humble yourself like Christ did, and to be selfless in our expressions of true love. A love that goes beyond mere words, but is supported by action!
Where do I start?
I believe 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a great place to start if you are looking to implement Christ-like love into your daily interactions with people! Read this slowly, and examine how well the level of love that you are showing to people measures up to this definition of Godly love.
“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (NET):
Love never ends…”
We all want to know that we are living our lives in accordance with how Jesus wants us to, so use this text as the primary tool in building the characteristic of love in your relational toolbox!
Remember that with the Advent of Christ came along the Advent of love! True love was shown on that wonderful day God became a Man! He communicated to all of us in the area of our greatest need, love.
Every human alive has this as their deepest need – to be loved and accepted. Well, Jesus told us all that we are loved by the Father and accepted into His family when we receive Him by faith! So, let the Advent of love take hold of your heart this Christmas, and live out the Christ-like love that is in you now!
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for being love! For showing me love, even when I did not deserve it. You are so kind and compassionate, full of grace and love for all (including me), and I am so thankful to have experienced the Advent of Love for myself. I love You Lord and I desire that Your Spirit will help me to express Your love to a lost and dying world around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen
