"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10
It is only appropriate that the Apostle John is the one who would tell us the standard God sets for love. John was referred to as the "disciple Jesus loved". John not only understood what it meant to love like God, he was able to experience walking closely with Jesus throughout his ministry to see firsthand that love of God. I love this portion of scripture above that John offers us. We all know that Jesus is fully God, and that the Father sent Him into the world that we may actually experience life to the full through Him. But, what I want to focus on, is the standard that God set for love. In the second verse offered above, John, through the Holy Spirit, tells us that true love is not what we offered God, but rather, what He offered us. Let's consider this for just a minute. We cannot offer God true love, true love only comes from God. God says that we didn't have to offer Him love before He offers it to us. God is love and true love comes from the Father. The beautiful thing about this love that He offers, is that there is clearly no conditions placed on receiving it. John submits to us that we didn't even have to love Him first, before He offers us His love. We didn't have to do anything to be on the receiving end of God's love. The wonderful thing about the unconditional love that God offers, is simply that it is freely offered to us, without any prerequisites from us. God loves you right here, right now so much, just the way you are. Paul would tell us, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39). The amazing part is that this love is offered to us in exchange for nothing, except that we accept it! And nothing in creation can separate us from it! This is true love! The standard that God sets for love is this; that we offer love to others with no strings attached. This is the true standard on how to love. Who in your life do you need to offer love to without any expectation or anticipation of return? It is this type of unconditional love that transforms hearts, into hearts of people that love God and become a life-giving spirit! Today, understand the standard that God set for love. We have a standard that the Lord offers us in Christ, to show us how to love. Pray today for the strength and power, that comes from the Holy Spirit, to love the way God does, without conditions. And ask the Lord to lead you to people that need to experience the transforming power of God's love. It may change someone's life today! Love you all! Praying for you and yours! Have a blessed day, it's your choice!
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