Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 27, 2020
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1, NKJV
Sometimes I take for granted my sonship in the family of God. I forget my spiritual last name is Christian. Even worse, on occasion I don’t carry the name of my Lord in a manner that models His love. Thankfully, His love is what woos me back. Like a child who insists on being free from the restraints of a loving home, I soon remember (like the prodigal) the primacy of my Father’s love. Estranged from the Lord’s love is the loneliest place, but resting in His love I’m secure.
The quality of God’s love is incomprehensible for the human mind, but it begins by defining us as children of God. Belief in Jesus has its benefits, we are adopted a daughter or son into God’s family! What manner of love is the Lord’s love? A love that looked at the cross as forgiveness of sin, overcoming death, offering by faith, life eternal with perfect love. Christ died for us—to live in us—to love through us. Like the life-giving sun the Lord’s love warms our cold, doubtful soul.
“This is how we have discovered love’s reality: Jesus sacrificed his life for us. Because of this great love, we should be willing to lay down our lives for one another” (1 John 3:16, TPT).
Adoption into God’s family does not guarantee adaption into a community of Christ followers. It takes time and trust. We have to adjust to unconditional love and the freedom of forgiveness. If we are tempted to drift back to our self redemptive days and settle for graceless living, we act like we are someone we are not. Driven by fear, we succumb to the shame of a former life buried by Christ’s death and resurrection. Perfect love does not allow us to linger on our imperfect past.
I just texted with the daughter of Pastor Jimmy Taylor, my spiritual father, who led me to Jesus, and loved me like Jesus. Tears are flowing—-he’s close to going to heaven. Tears of joy for his homecoming to be with the Lord and tears of sorrow for all of us who love him, and who will miss him. I can’t adequately say how he loved me in my early days of following Jesus. “Boyd, the Bible is God’s love letter to you, read it daily”. “Boyd, you are loved by a heavenly Father who will never leave you or forsake you”. What manner of love? A love full of life, peaceful at death.
“Yet we can be assured that we have been translated from spiritual death into spiritual life because we love the family of believers. A loveless life remains spiritually dead” (1 John 3:14, TPT).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for the depth and breadth of your love, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Who do I need to love, who is hard to love?
Related Reading
Genesis 22:2; Psalm 36:7; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:8
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