Guest Blog by Gary Riedel
SCRIPTURE: 1John 4:19 We love because He first loved us.
OBSERVATION: Love is an often used word and the frequency of it’s use and the sometimes shallowness of its use has cheapened the real meaning of God’s intention of love. God’s love was so great for us that He gave His only begotten Son to DIE for us and our sins that we might be redeemed children of the Heavenly Father. Galatians 4:4,5 We are by Jesus sacrifice, adopted children of God. God loved us so much He allowed His Son to suffer in our stead. The song; “How Great the Father’s Love for us, how vast beyond all measure; That He should give His only Son to make this wretch His Treasure” Says it all, God’s love for us is more than we can imagine or measure!
APPLICATION: So, love is not the fulfillment of desire, or any other selfish meaning, but rather it is a selfless caring that makes others wishes and desires more important than ours. It places more importance on their happiness and well-being than on our own. In John 15:13 Jesus says:“Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for His friends.” So what about you and I, when I say I love you brother or sister, how much am I willing to sacrifice for you? Early on in my military duty, I was asked; If you are captured by the enemy, are you willing to die rather
then divulge any information that might prove harmful to your fellow soldiers or the cause of our country? I said yes to that and I meant it. That is just a very small example of what Jesus did for us. The love Jesus is talking about is a deep sacrificial love which loves at any cost, even death.
Love is a beautiful forever commitment to whoever or whatever we pledge ourselves to, hopefully, to God first and then to those we hold dear.
then divulge any information that might prove harmful to your fellow soldiers or the cause of our country? I said yes to that and I meant it. That is just a very small example of what Jesus did for us. The love Jesus is talking about is a deep sacrificial love which loves at any cost, even death.
Love is a beautiful forever commitment to whoever or whatever we pledge ourselves to, hopefully, to God first and then to those we hold dear.
PRAYER: Gracious Father, how grateful we are that “You first loved us.” Lord teach us to love with a true and pure heart, a heart that puts the well-being of others ahead of our own, a heart that can only do that through a relationship with You. Grant that to us by the power
of Your Spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen
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