“I love you.” When last did you hear those words? Maybe from a family member, a friend, or a significant other. Aside from merely saying the words, they will also show you in different ways.

It is undoubtedly an incredible feeling to be on the receiving end of love from those around you. But as great as it is to have those close to you express their love, it simply cannot match up to what real love is.

1 John 4:8

King James Version

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

It is wonderful that the Bible describes the person of God as love and not just only a quality He possesses.

Not only does it say this, but it also lets us know how God showed this love to us.

Romans 5:8

New Living Translation

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Yesterday’s devotional established that we received the Holy Spirit the moment we believed the message of the gospel (Ephesians1:13). The gospel is that God has accepted the death of Christ as the propitiation for our sins and has given eternal life to all who believe.

To think that the same means by which we became temples that house God was provided by God Himself is something to marvel about. Much more amazing is that God planned and executed all this while we were yet sinners! Before we even knew we needed saving, God had placed salvation on the way for us. Hallelujah!

This is the greatest show of love; that the one being owed paid the debt for the debtors! The offenders, while still in their wrong, received a pardon for their sins!

To the ordinary man, this makes no sense. How can you not only pardon someone’s wrong to you but also go ahead to pay for their offense? Yet, God’s intentionality shows us that from the beginning of time, He began the genius plan of salvation simply because He loved us first.

Now that you understand this, dear believer, your next response after rejoicing is to replicate this love.

1 John 4:11

New King James Version

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

The expected result of understanding and accepting God’s love is that you can now show this kind of love to others around you.

One major characteristic of this love is that it is proactive. It was not dependent on whether the receiver knew they needed, deserved or even asked for it.

When you look around today, you can probably count several people you think don’t deserve love for the way they may have behaved towards you or others.

But this is not the attitude or mindset of a believer. Our actions must be determined by the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), not what the world portrays.

Whether you feel like it or not, whether it looks like the other person deserves it or not.

Yet again, the Bible shows us this:

John 15:13

New King James Version

13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

As believers, we must grasp the true meaning of love, not as the world defines it, but as exemplified by Christ Himself. The sacrifice of Jesus is what God defines as love for us:

John 3:16

King James Version

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The word “so” here is not just a representation of the magnitude of God’s love but how He loves us. Therefore this scripture is better rendered as, “For God loved the world in this way, that he gave”.

His love for us is seen in His sacrifice. It is in Jesus that we see true love and love beyond words.

Philippians 2:5-8 sets the stage for our understanding of love. It urges us to adopt the mind of Christ, who, despite being equal with God, humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, and obediently endured the cross. This exemplifies the love we are to emulate as believers; selfless and sacrificial love.

1 John 4:7-8

King James Version

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

From this passage, we can tell that there is no love outside of God because God himself is love.

Understanding God’s love compels us to respond in kind. We are called to love unconditionally, just as God loves us. This means forgiving those who wrong us, loving our enemies, and extending kindness without expecting anything in return.

As believers, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to love as Christ loved us. Our actions should reflect God’s love.

Prayer Point:

Father, thank You for Your unconditional love that knows no bounds. Help me to love others as You have loved me, sacrificially and selflessly. Help me to emulate your love in every aspect of my life.