Let Us Love One Another
Date: October 29, 2024
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
B - Bible Verse in NIV (1 John 4:7) "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray Heavenly Father, thank You for being the source of all true love. Help us to love others with the same kind of love You've shown us. May we reflect Your character through our actions and relationships. Show us practical ways to demonstrate Your love to those around us today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
E - Explore the History and meaning John, often called the apostle of love, wrote this letter to early Christian communities who were facing challenges with false teachings. He emphasizes love as a distinguishing mark of genuine faith. This passage shows that love isn't just something we do - it's evidence of our relationship with God and our spiritual rebirth.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
"Love one another" - Active, intentional care for others
"Love comes from God" - God is the source of genuine love
"Born of God" - Indicates spiritual transformation
S - Summarize and Share (Radiant in Christ's Love theme) You know, friends, I just love how John starts this verse with "Dear friends" - it's like he's sitting down to have a heart-to-heart conversation with us about something really important: love.
And isn't it beautiful how he reminds us that love comes from God? It's like tracing a river back to its source. Every genuine expression of love we see in the world - whether it's a parent caring for their child, a friend being there in tough times, or even a stranger showing kindness - it all originates from God's heart.
John's telling us something profound here. When we love others, we're not just doing a good deed - we're actually showing that we belong to God. It's like we're carrying His family resemblance! Think about it: if God is love, and we're His children, then loving others should come as naturally to us as looking like our earthly parents.
But this isn't always easy, is it? Sometimes people are hard to love. Sometimes we don't feel very loving. That's when we need to remember that true love isn't just about feelings - it's about being connected to the Source of love itself.
When we're plugged into God's love, we become like spiritual solar panels, absorbing His love and radiating it to others. We start to shine with a love that's not our own - it's God's love flowing through us.
And here's what's really amazing: as we practice this kind of love, we get to know God better. It's like with each act of love, we understand a little more about His character, His heart, His ways.
So today, let's allow ourselves to be filled with God's love until it overflows to everyone around us. Let's look for opportunities to love others in practical, tangible ways. Because when we do, we're not just showing kindness - we're reflecting the very nature of God Himself.
3 Bible Cross References:
1 John 4:19
John 13:34-35
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Question for the audience: What's one simple way you can show God's love to someone today? Share your idea in the comments and let's inspire each other to radiate God's love!