Love Like God- Closer to God Newsletter

If you ask people from different walks of life what love is and what it means to them, you'll get many different answers.

One thing is certain: God's love for us is limitless and unconditional. This profound love inspires us to share it with others, creating a ripple effect that transforms hearts and fosters unity.

Let us be vessels of this extraordinary love, sharing it freely and wholeheartedly.

It's best described in Romans 5:8, as he showed great love for us, even though we were still sinning against him.

It shows that no matter what we do, God pursues us with a boundless devotion that is hard to comprehend as human beings.

Being a parent is one of the closest experiences to this type of love. Even when your child makes a mistake, you love them so much that you want to forgive and understand them.

Today's verse is clear: in a society that balances love and hate, it encourages us to reflect on the type of love we should spread around us.

Let’s explore the New Testament, specifically the apostle John, who highlights how our identity in love is directly linked to God.

"Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

1 John 4:7-8 · New International Version

Here's a Brief Background...

This passage is from one of three letters to early Christian communities from the Apostle John, who also wrote one of the Gospels and the Book of Revelation.

John's central theme in his letter is love. Highlighting God's love for all of humanity and the love that all believers should have for one another.

John sought to counter false teachings and strengthen Jesus' doctrines.

The one ideal John wants to drive home for us is that love is not just an action but a clear reflection of being born of God.

Let's Break It Down...

I believe that everyone inherently desires love, which is fundamental to our nature.

Experiencing love from others significantly enhances our well-being.

How can we strengthen our relationship with God and each other?

If we genuinely want to get closer to God, love is the key, and that's why Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Simply put, when we reflect unconditional love on others, we know who God is in our lives.

For some who have been hurt, it's not that easy.

Love isn't the first emotion; it could be confusion, frustration, or insecurity leading to hate.

The path to anger and hatred is the opposite direction to God, actually farthest from him.

When that happens, Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.

Let's Apply It to Our Lives...

Cultivate Love With Others.

Make an effort to genuinely care for others in your life. Reflect on the kind of love that God has for us. This involves demonstrating patience, kindness, and forgiveness towards everyone – family, friends, and even strangers.

Seek to Understand and Know God.

Devote your time to studying scripture and engaging in prayer. Make a deliberate effort to strengthen your relationship with God. As you seek to comprehend God's love, you will naturally learn to love others more completely.

Be A Light To Others.

Become a testament to what God's love represents. When you express your care for others through small acts of kindness or more significant gestures of service, your light of God's love will inspire others.

To Put It All Together...

If we concentrate on the love God has for us, we can begin to express it to others.

Precisely like the verse says, to know God is to be a child of Him and to love as He does because God is the essence of love.

If we want to know Him, we must show the same kind of love he has for us to others around us.

Here's a Prayer For You...

Dear Lord,

I long to understand and embody the love that comes from You. Teach me to reflect Your love in my thoughts, words, and actions.

Show me how to grow in kindness, patience, and grace so that I may love others as You love me.

I know that to love like You is to truly be Your child. Help me to be a living example of who You are, sharing Your love freely with those around me.

Fill my heart with Your presence, for You are love, and we need You now more than ever.

Amen.

I truly hope and pray today's verse means something to you.

Please share it with others who need to experience this in their lives.

Remember, I'm always praying for you; please keep me in your prayers as well.

May His enduring love be with you each day!

Quentin

Contemplate this Question....

How can I show God's love to someone today?

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