What a privilege it is to know the love of God! Perhaps the most well known verse of scripture is John 3:16, where we read, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life". The beloved apostle also wrote in 1 John 3:16, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren". In Romans 5:8 the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". God did not simply say that He loved us. He loved us. We are dependent upon the gift of His Son and His most gracious and humble act, in order that we might know love. There is so much to write about, so much to consider regarding God's love, but I will keep my thoughts brief.
Because of Him, we are now able to know love, love others and be loved. Again, in 1 John 4:7, John wrote "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God". And in 1 John 4:11 he wrote, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another". The scripture is clear and unified in proclaiming that believers should love one another and have a love for all people. But we can no longer be people who simply say they love. We must love. In 1 John 3:18 the apostle wrote, "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth". I have come to love the words in 1 John 3:1, where John was inspired to write these wonderful words; "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are." Do you see what he says here? We are not just called children of God, we are children of God. Not just in word or tongue but in deed and truth!
But amidst the wonder of knowing Him and hence knowing love, I have a burden on my heart as I write these few words. Many do not know God. Many do not know love. Perhaps it is too difficult for us to imagine or maybe we don't like to think it so. But there are men and women, yes boys and girls, all over the world who have never loved and who have never been loved. Even as I write, with my wife and children down the hall, asleep in their beds, I can almost see the empty hearts and the sad eyes of those who lay their heads down this night not knowing love. They are in my town and they are in yours. They are all over the world. Perhaps they are our neighbors.
But I must thank God for His love that He demonstrated; for the love that He manifested. For the love that He has lavished on His children. Today people all over the world re-affirmed their love for one another by various means. Cards, flowers, chocolates and various items were given and received. Words of "I love you" were spoken. I don't question that this can all be good for the heart and soul. But as I thought about the things we do and say, or the things that we give to remind or affirm our love for one another, I was drawn back to consider His love. He does not need to say a word or give us a token to remind us of His love. His love has been shown and has proven certain. The gift of His Son continues to proclaim His love and also call us to love.
Father, I thank you for demonstrating your love, in and through Jesus, your only begotten Son. Thank you for the privilege of knowing you and hence, knowing love; for being loved and for being equipped to love. My thoughts are with those who do not know you; who do not know love. Those who have never loved and have never been loved. I ask that you would work through your children, that we might be vessels of your love to them. I pray that in such love, Jesus might be seen and given praise. I pray for those who lay their heads down tonight not knowing love, and ask that you would so move in their hearts and minds that they may come to know you, the source of true love. Help me, help all your children to love, "not with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth". As a witness and testimony of your great love, and of Jesus, the demonstation of your love, help us to love one another.
