“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 NIV
John says, “not that we loved God.” It may be true that we love God, but that is not the highest and most perfect manifestation of love. Even if we love God, it is not an all-encompassing love. We get caught up in the busyness of life and forget the other things going on around us. We forget the time. We forget that God is even there. Our love toward God, if it even exists, is a directed thought which is not always being displayed or even considered. However, such is not the case with God. There is no increase or decrease in His love. It is always. It is unconditional. This is seen in the words, “but that He loved us.” Our love is an after-the-fact love. God’s love is a before, during, and after-the-fact love. God is love. And so God sent Christ Jesus to be for us what we could not be for ourselves. He became our “atoning sacrifice”. God cannot look upon humanity with favour. Not because He doesn’t love us, but because He is Holy, Just and Righteous. Because of sin, we are none of those things. Therefore, God must judge our sin, or He is none of those things. But because God is Mercy, Grace, Truth, and Love, God was willing to judge the sin, not in us, but in His Son, in order to bring full atonement (at-one-ment). This the highest expression of love. Its Source is God, its message is one of restoration, and it was sent out before any love toward God existed from those who would receive it. In this is love.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, we give praise and thanks for loving us before we loved You.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Because You are rich in Mercy, Grace, Truth, and Love, You willingly judged sin, not in us, but in Your Son, in order to bring full atonement. Thank You, Lord, for this highest expression of love. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Philippians 4:2-23
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