When Paul and I were first married, I remember a particular time where I was SO mad at him. We lived in Maroubra, a beach in Sydney, Australia at the time. That particular morning I was taking a walk during the sunrise and praying which was my ritual at the time. I was venting to God and spouting of all of the justifications for my anger when the Holy Spirit cut me off. “Andi, I only require you to love Paul as much as I love Him.”
I remember yelling at the air, head tilted towards the sky, “THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!!!”
And Jesus replied, “Yes, but loved people, love people.”
It is impossible to love others and serve others unless we first let ourselves be loved. It is impossible because we need Jesus love in us, permeating our lives to love others.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. – 1 John 4:19-21 NIV
As verse 19 says in 1 John 4, we have the ability to love others because we ourselves are first loved. What is the premise for this love? How do we receive it?
“7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” – 1 John 4:7-12 NIV
Now to some of you this may seem elementary, but let’s go there anyway. To receive this love, we must be born of God, or “born again”. God delights in hitting the restart button of your life, that’s why it’s called being born again. When we receive Him, we get to start over! We are made new and the slate of sin is wiped clean! God made it possible for us to receive His love by showing His love among us through His Son. God took His word (John 1:14), wrapped it in flesh and sent it to earth in the form of His Son, Jesus. He was here, in flesh and blood and He felt what it’s like to live, love, and overcome. He gets you. He feels you. He’s walked a mile in your shoes.
Now a big key comes next in verse 9 of 1 John 4,“He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”
That we might live THROUGH Him. At first we receive Jesus as a conscious decision, but then what? Sometimes we have no idea how to live our lives THROUGH Him. What does that even mean?
Take a pair of glasses for example, when you put them on, you can see clearly again as you look through their lenses. Well to live a life with 20/20 vision, you need to put on Jesus and live your life through Him.
How?
Well a few simple tips would be to start by reading the whole book of John – this guy loved Jesus something crazy. He walked as a son and a friend knowing he was loved and intrinsically part of the family.
Next I would suggest reading through 1 John and 2 John. In particular study chapter 4 of 1 John. Dig deep. Ask God to show you how to live IN His love and THROUGH His life.
Practically you could also order a “Journible” online (I got mine on amazon), and I would recommend the book of John or the Journible including 1, 2 and 3 John if it’s a deeper revelation of love your seeking. It’s an amazing and simple journal where you write out the word of God on one side of the page and then write your revelation on the other page.
How great would it be for your 2016 to be a year marked by love?
Loved People, love people and make the love of God known.