Love pt. 1

1 John 4:8-10 & 15-16, Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Psalm 86:15 

1 John 4:8 says “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God is love. It begins with our creator and mighty God. He is love, he defines love, he gives love towards us. Love is one of the key characteristics of God. 

A few verses later the author defines love for us in another way “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

God is love, and in His love he sent Jesus to take on our sin and give us new life.

This idea is spread across the bible. 

God's love is sacrificial, God's love has no limits, paying the greatest price by sending his own son. If that is what love means and God is love, then God is an other-centered and sacrificial God, doing whatever it takes to show others that love. 

God is love. 

Laying down your life for others is love. 

The cross is the ultimate image of love. 

Thank God that he defines love in Himself and gives us love, and allows us to understand his character. 

Do you understand God’s love for you? How do you need to reflect on God’s characteristics of love and respond?