God Is Love

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ~ 1 John 4:8

I believe this one verse clearly defines who does and does not follow Christ.  He is not referring to physical, sexual love, but I believe John is talking about the supernatural love of supernatural compassion that you only enjoy, or can possess by knowing and having a relationship with God.  Loving unconditionally and stepping into a love that isn’t gratified by human desires.  This love is one of the spiritual gifts Christ cultivates in his followers so that we can bestow it onto others.  Doing for others before ourselves and sacrificing some of our comfort for others as Christ sacrificed his only son for us is this kind of love.  An action love.  A doing love.  Not an emotional love, but so much more.  The fact of the matter is that everything God does comes from a place of love.  How does that grab you?  Everything.  And we are supposed to show that same kind of love as followers of Christ.  I must be willing to get out of my comfort zone to show Christ’s love.  I must listen to that still small voice we know as the Holy Spirit.  I must be willing to show love even when I know no one else is.  I must be loving in my words and in my thoughts towards others.  I must understand that if God is love, then even the difficult and painful journeys in my life God has orchestrated, or allowed out of love for a purpose in my life that will bring him all the glory.  That he is working behind the scenes for my good out of love.  Today the world is all about me, myself and I, but God’s love is unconditionally selfless and servant-like.  We can only emulate that type of love by being in relationship with God.  If you cannot love someone because they don’t agree with you, you do not know God.  If you cannot love someone because they don’t affiliate with the same political party as you, you do not know God.  If you cannot love someone who has a different perspective on sexuality, you do not know God.  If you cannot love the sinner, you do not know God.  Because as Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  His nature is love.  He is the source of love.  He can not be without love.   A person in genuine relationship with God will radiate God’s love.  Let’s let our acts of love permeate our world with His love. ~ Amen