1 John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God is love. John will say this twice in this week’s passage. This phrase works in two ways. Firstly it defines what love is – to know what love is, we have to look to God and be prepared to have our definition of love challenged. Who he is and how he acts should shape our understanding of love. Secondly, it should also shape our interpretation of the biblical text – everything God does needs to be understood through the lens of love. Do our interpretations describe God as loving, and do our applications in our lives encourage love? If not, we may want to read and pray some more and ask if there is another way of understanding the passage that does.
Father, Son and Spirit, we celebrate your love, as shown this season through the incarnation, the birth of Jesus as one of us, to bring us back into relationship with you! Help us to love like you.
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