“GOD IS LOVE”

“Whoever does not LOVE does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE” 1 John 4:8

Meditation:

The way we love God is reflected in the way we love the people around us. The Christian life is not a life of selfishness or pickiness, where we choose to be by ourselves or hang around select people of our liking. There is no room for excluding people when it comes to walking in the love of God. The same way God's arms were wide open for us when we were sinners, is the same way we are to accept the people around us... with arms wide open. The love of God knows no boundaries when it comes to reaching out to people. The love of God isn't for one specific person or one specific group of people. It is for anyone and everyone and the only way God's love can reach other people is through us. We are God's representatives on earth and He expects us to do what He would do and what Jesus, did do.....He was God's representative....He was God's only begotten son... he was the perfect example for all of us. When Jesus came to the earth He looked down upon no one. He listened everyone and helped them, and taught them to do the best they could. Even though He had many disputes with the Pharisees over their self-righteousness, Jesus never closed them out. He was open to talk to Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), who was a Pharisee. Jesus still spoke to him, counseled him, and taught him about the Way to eternal life in him. The love of God should move us to overlook all offences in order to minister to other people. This is no easy feat but this is why God is with us. The Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of God, teaches us how to love people past the offense they may have caused us. Loving the people around us is not an option, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. It is a commandment. God is Love. You cannot reach out to people without the love of God. The love of God overrides all prejudice and forms of exclusion.It is the love of God that compels you to reach out to people in the first place. God doesn't expect us to stand on the outside, looking in. He expects us to go in, full speed ahead, showing everyone they are loved so that they know that there is a God out here who cares about them deeply. You cannot claim to be a child of God if you refuse to love the people around you. As children of God, it is our duty to exhibit God's love through our words and actions. If we fail to do so, how do we expect to lead more people to Christ?

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, thank you. We are so grateful for your love, for sending us your son Jesus, who paid in full for all our sins and for Saving us! Help us to continue, sharing the Good News of Salvation to everyone, with love! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!