THE POWER OF LOVE

THE POWER OF LOVE

READ:

1 John 4:7-10

In this is love, not that we

loved God, but that He loved

us and sent His Son to be the

[atoning sacrifice] for our sins.

-1 John 4:10

Books on leadership often appear on best-seller lists.  Most of them tell how to become a powerful and effective leader.  But Henri Nouwen’s book In the Name of Jesus:  Reflections on Christian Leadership is written from a different perspective.  The former university professor who spent many years serving in a community of developmentally disabled adults says:  “The question is not:  How many people take you seriously?  How much are you going to accomplish?  Can you show some results?  But:  Are you in love with Jesus?..In our world of loneliness and despair, there is an enormous need for men and women who know the heart of God, and heart that forgives, that cares, that reaches out and wants to heal.”

John wrote, “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.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [atoning sacrifice] for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

“The Christian leader of the future,” writes Nouwen, “is the one who truly knows the heart of God as it has become flesh…in Jesus.”  In Him, we discover and experience God’s unconditional, unlimited love. –David McCasland

Father, please show the wonder of Your great love

through me to others today so that they might know

they need not walk through life alone.  Let my heart

personally experience and display Your care.

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God’s love in our heart gives us a heart for others.

INSIGHT

John, who referred to himself as “the disciple [Jesus] loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7), wrote his gospel to show how God is his great love, how God gave us His Son to die for our sins, and how Jesus came to give us abundant life (3:16-18; 10:10; 17:3).  This   new life is to be characterized by love (13:34-35).  John wrote 1 John to show believers how to put love into action.  In today’s passage, he reiterated the primacy and priority of the Christian to love.  The person who lacks love shows that he does not really know God not is in close fellowship with Him, “for God is love” (vv.7-8).  In this letter, John reminds us once again of how much God loves us (vv.9-10).

Have a blessed evening.

God Our Creator’s Love Always

Unity & Peace