Our Self-Giving Source And Foundation
Perseverance, Love, Initiation
Love consists in this…
“Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” – 1 John 4:10-11, CSB
God’s initiating love
It’s not how much you can give or do for God. It’s never been about that, not at the core. The foundation of love and all loving action, the very best example of gifts given, is God’s love for us. It is His radical, sacrificial, self-giving love for us in all of our shortcomings and sinfulness that defines true love. If we are missing this in our definitions and foundations that we are building, we shouldn’t be surprised when we find it extremely difficult to persevere in giving and expressing love to the imperfect people around us. But there is no need for our initiatives in loving God and one another to be stunted or sputtering because God did choose to love us, to value us, and to take the initiative to build toward us with all His heart, mind, and Spirit.
Rediscovering our strength
As in everything in life, we find our best strength in Him and His gracious love. The love of God for us in Christ Jesus is our source of enduring love for others! Does that mean people will never irritate us, or that we will just find loving them to be easy all the time? Um, no. But, when people irritate us to the degree that we’re willing to walk away from calling, from common mission together, to let projects and dreams shrivel, starve, or die, it’s a sure sign that we’ve been trying to find love, significance, and value through something other than God’s initiating, choosing, persevering love for us. It’s in rediscovering His love that we will also discover fresh strength and love for others to whom God has sent us.
Let’s rediscover and rest in His self-giving love for us today and let everything else flow from that. Merry Christmas!
Think:
Whatever you’re called to do, whatever challenge you’re undertaking, today find a moment to reflect on, and rest in, the self-giving sacrifice of God for you in Christ Jesus. You and everyone around you will benefit!
With whom can you share the wonderful, loving gift of Jesus today?
Prayer:
“Father, thank You for Your initiating, saving, atoning love for me that holds nothing back! May Your self-giving love fill my heart, and may that same initiating, reconciling, self-giving love flow out through me.”