To be love to others, I need to love God. And to love God, I need to acknowledge His love for me.
Because I don’t just want to be nice to people, I want to love them with a Christlike love. To do that, to be someone who loves authentically and biblically, I need to believe and know why and how God loves me.
I can tell the difference, even within myself, of when I’m acting love versus being love. I can put on a smile and get through the day, or I can be so aware of God’s love that it’s His love that radiates from me. And that’s what I want my love for others to look like. It’s a daily decision and constant commitment, and I feel like I miss the mark on a regular basis.
Thankfully, God’s love for me doesn’t go away. . . it’s steadfast and faithful.
Let’s look at some Biblical truths about God’s love:
God is Love
I am God’s Child
God’s love is revealed through Jesus’ death and resurrection
Let’s look at some characteristics of God’s love. (Notice the repetition?)
| Verse | Key Words | God’s love is. . . |
| “. . . but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:6 ESV | Steadfast love | Endless, eternal Do I love Him? Do I keep His commandments? |
| “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.’” Exodus 34:6 ESV | Steadfast love; faithfulness | Filled with mercy and grace How does God show His faithfulness? How do I show my faithfulness to Him? |
| “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” Psalm 36:5 ESV | Steadfast love; faithfulness | Endless; beyond what I can rationalize How do I limit my understanding of the extensiveness of God’s love? |
| “‘For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10 ESV | Steadfast love; compassion | Never departing; endless How much do I trust that God’s love won’t depart from me? What would my life look like if I lived in the confidence that He loves me? |
| “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV | Steadfast love; faithfulness | Never-ceasing What would my life look like if I lived in the confidence that He won’t stop loving me? |
Pause and think about this – the God of the universe loves us!
– despite our sins
– despite our mood
– despite our health
– despite our appearance
– despite others’ opinions of us
This knowledge can’t not change us.
And because we are loved, we can be love to others.
Pause
Reflect
How much does the thought of God’s love for you impact your love for others?
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