OUR DAILY BREAD : O LOVE THAT WILL NOT LET ME GO

[cimi]

April 3
Wednesday


O LOVE THAT
WILL NOT
LET ME GO

READ:
1 John 4:7-21
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Beloved, if God so
loved us, we also ought
to love one another,
__1 John 4:11
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Love is the centerpiece of thriving relationships. Scripture makes it clear that we need to be people who love__God with all our hearts, love our neighbor as ourselves, and love our enemies. But it's hard to love when we don't fell loved. Neglected children, spouses who feel ignored by their mates, and parents who are alienated from their children all know the heartache of a life that lacks love.

So, for everyone who longs to be loved, welcome to the pleasure of knowing that you are richly loved by God. Think of the profound impact of His love that was poured out for you at the cross. Meditate on the fact that if you've trusted in Him, His love covers your faults and failures and that you are clothed with His spotless righteousness (Rom. 3:22-23). Revel in the fact that nothing can separate you from His love (8:39). Embrace His loving provision of a future secured for you where you wil be eternally loved (John 3:16).

When John tells us that we "ought to love one another," he calls us the "beloved" (1 John 4:11; see also 3:1-2). Once you embrace how wonderfully loved you are by God, it will be much easier to be the loving person God calls you to be__even toward those who don't show you love. __Joe Stowell

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
__Watts
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Embracing God's love for us
is the key to loving others.

*****Today's Bible Reading __ 1 John 4:7-21*****

7 Beloved, let us love one
another, for love is of God;
and everyone who loves is
born of God and knows
God. 8 He who does not love
does not know God, for God
is love. 9 In this the love of
God was manifested toward
us, that God has sent His
only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live
through Him. 10 In this is
love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and
sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved
us, we also ought to love
one another.

12 No one has seen God at
any time. If we love one
another, God abides in us,
and His love has been
perfected in us. 13 By this we
know that we abide in Him,
and He in us, because He
has given us of His Spirit.

14 And we have seen and
testify that the Father has
sent the Son as Savior of the
world. Whoever confesses
that Jesus is the Son of God,
God abides in him, and he in
God. 16 And we have known
and believed the love that
God has for us. God is love,
and he who abides in love
abides in God, and God in
him.

17 Love has been perfected
among us in this: that we
may have boldness in the
day of judgment; because as
He is, so are we in this
world. 18 There is no fear in
love; but perfect love casts
out fear, because fear
involves torment. But he
who fears has not been
made perfect in love. 19 We
love Him because He first
loved us.

20 If someone says, "I love
God," and hates his brother,
he is a liar; for he who does
not love his brother whom
he has seen, how can he love
God whom he has not seen?

21 And this commandment
we have from Him: that he
who loves God must love
his brother also.