Have you ever whispered the words “I love you” and eagerly waited for a response. Silence fills the air and time seems to stop. You look at your loved one desperately wanting them to say it back. Your heart begins to pump harder, faster as adrenaline is injected through your veins. And still there is only silence. There is nothing more somber than unrequited love. You know they love you…why won’t they just say it? Just say it!
Years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a Beth Moore conference in Richmond. Beth, is an incredible inspirational woman of faith. After the conference I purchased a Beth Moore devotional audio CD to listen to in the car. The devotion she gave of 1 John 4 has radically impacted my journey of faith. I am going to attempt to share what God taught me through that devotion and through the book of 1 John.
God is love. 1 John 4:16
God is love. Love is a powerful emotion and is a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps you are thinking, “What do you mean to be reckoned with?” To reckon means to include, to deal with, or to take under careful consideration. I want you to open your mind for some “reckoning”. You can even say ‘reckon’ with a Southern drawl if you like. I want you to reckon…take under careful consideration God’s love.
There is an entire section in 1 John 4 titled God’s Love and Ours. Here is a paraphrase of that section:
“Dear friends, let us love one another because love comes from God…because God IS love.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only son as a sacrifice for our sins..We love because he first loved us.”
This is where the WOW factor occurred in my life! God IS love. Beth referred to this as God’s IS-ness. God can not love less, because he would have to be less God to be less love! God is perfect and always love, and nothing…nothing we ever do can alter God. “We love because God first loved us.” Did you catch that? God loved us first!
God was the first one to whisper “I love you.” Now, it’s your turn. Don’t let moment slip by.
If you woke up on planet Earth today, then you need to whisper (or scream) back to him
I love you too!
~April
“May you and I be mutually encouraged by each others faith.” Romans 1:12
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