God is love

"So we have come to know and to believe

the love that God has for us.

God is love,

and whoever abides in love abides in God,

and God abides in him."

~1 John 4:16

 

"Love is patient and kind;

love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful;

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,

but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things."

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

Jesus, may we not feel like a failure every time we read these verses about love knowing that we cannot "measure up" as these are not in the Bible to do that.
 

 If God is love, He defines what love is.

 

God is patient and kind; God does not envy or boast; He is not arrogant or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. God bears all things, God believes all things, God hopes all things, God endures all things.

 

If we see that in God, it changes how we see that in ourselves.

If we have experienced God's love, His patience, His kindness, that He rejoices in truth, that He does not insist on His own way, that He is not irritable or resentful, it will change us.

We could give that kind of love because we have received it from God.

We experience the love of God when we place our faith in Jesus.

If we did not have continual reliance on the gospel then these verses would become a checklist. These verses are not a checklist, but a calling. And calling is empowered. Because of the nature of Love, the love we received and the love we give, there is a calling to love one another. And because of the gospel we can do that. Because the love we received can make love to give. We need the gospel.

The same gospel that saves us, is the gospel that transforms us.

 

Lord, I am so grateful for people who preach the gospel and these words I heard...

May we be transformed. May we experience and receive Your love, oh God.

Keep CZECHING IN!