260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 233 - 1 John 3: Relationship With God & Others – Part 2

The intimate relationship a believer has with God is founded on love. “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) This love God has for us is amazing and is described in the first two verses of this chapter. The best word is “lavished.” It means to expend in great amount without limit! WOW – that is totally what God did and does! And what is our response to God’s love? To intentionally live sinful lives? May it never be!!!! “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. No one who lies in Him keeps on sinning.” Throughout the Bible, a true relationship with our Creator develops into a transformed life. Then, as when we are transformed by God’s love for us, we love our brothers & sisters (11-15). And it means a sacrificial love: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” We can’t say we love people if we see their needs, have the ability to help them, but don’t! “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” John finishes this chapter with words that sound familiar to the vine & the branches in John 15: “The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” SO WHAT?! *Today (& every day) is a great day to give thanks. Let’s take some time today and write down some of the ways God has “lavished” His love on us. Then take that list and spend some time in prayer thanking Him! *Jesus laid down His life for you and me. There is no way we could ever repay Him. But we can LIVE the rest of our days as a big THANK YOU LETTER back to Him. Let’s go for it! *Who do you know in need that you can you show your love to in actions and in giving?