Nov 4, 2009
Sin, Chapter 4
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. When we are trudging through the difficulties and disappointments of life and feel like God is far from us, we would do well to remember this verse. God loved(s) us when we were far from him. He loved us enough to offer his only son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. God sacrificially [i.e. propitiation] loves us. Meditate on God's love. Then go love like God.
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Sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming to think of loving like God. Overwhelming and exhausting - at least for me. I feel kind of empty sometimes - there are so many people who need to experience God's love, and I'm only one person. Then comes Ch 5 vs. 3-5. Wow - my faith is the victory that overcomes the world. With power like that behind it, loving others doesn't seem so overwhelming. The problem is I forget that I am "born of God, and overcome the world". Maybe these would be good verses for me to memorize..... :)
ReplyDeleteBecky, I think it also helps to realize that that faith that is "the victory," or elsewhere is said to "move mountains" is actually a gift from God, and nothing of our own doing, according to Ephesians 2:8,9.
ReplyDeleteI think that helps me knowing that, since the faith is a gift from God in the first place, I can call on him to come through when I don't feel like I have any faith. I can honestly confess that to him ("God, I don't/can't trust you to come through in this way.) and ask for the Spirit's strength to help my (which is really his) faith.