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God’s love serves as a guiding force—love is the theme in other words—for those who follow Christ. Jesus exemplifies this by His grace and John emphasized it through commands in verses like 1 John 4:21 which says:
“And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
1 John 4:21, English Standard Version
As believers, we are urged to demonstrate love, recognizing that it stems from God, the ultimate source of love.
God, being the epitome of love, provides us with not just love but also joy, peace, and numerous blessings when we build a relationship with Him. Love, often viewed as a feeling, is revealed as an active command, requiring intentional actions rather than passivity. It means stepping out of comfort zones to actively demonstrate love toward others.
Consider a couple on the brink of marriage. The man, in order to move from dating to proposing marriage, must actively declare his love and make a commitment. Similarly, the woman must actively accept his love by saying yes, signifying a mutual exchange of love and commitment.
Drawing from 1 John 4, we see the essence of love rooted in acknowledging and receiving love from Christ. Understanding that God is not just loving but embodies love itself reinforces the idea that living in love is equal to living in God and vice versa. This profound concept emphasizes the transformative power of actively engaging in love as both a command and a gift from the divine source of all love.
Dear God, we have this commandment from You. I do this because You are the source and creator of all love and I want to reflect You in all that I do. So let my focus today be on love. Show me how I can represent Your love for me as I love others in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Listen now to the short version of this Abide meditation, “Love is the Theme,” based on 1 John 4:21. Let God speak to you about how you treat others in light of your relationship with God.
Let Abide be your daily companion as you strive to make sure love is the them of your life. Our more than 1500 biblical meditations all exist to help you know God more deeply and walk more closely with Him. Download the app and start a premium subscription to gain access to our entire library of content. Use this link for 25% off.
