Love in Motion

Today’s Insight in the Word-
1 John 3 – Love takes action to speak.  Christ loved us by laying down His life.  No one took it from Him, but He willing laid it down.  Have you ever wondered why a lamb of all creatures was chosen to represent Christ?  The lamb has no defense.  Many other animals can bite, kick, sting, poke, scratch, impale, run away, or defend itself in other ways.  The lamb in no way is able to defend against the attacker.  You could say it is a humble and peaceful creature.  This is not to say that Christ could not have defended Himself, but He did not.  The lamb was also one of the sacrificial animals in the Old Testament.  It pleased God to receive sacrifices, and good incense.  It was atonement for our sins.  However man could no longer please God since He had strayed so far from Him.  Jesus satisfied our need to sacrifice in the fact that there was nothing better that could be offered back to God accept Christ who willingly chose to die for mans sins, leaving His home and becoming flesh.  In other words, God allowed Him to die so we did not have too.  What we don’t understand is that God is holy and man is not.  God cannot be involved in sin, because He is holy.  We had to be purified and redeemed in order to restore our fellowship with God.  We could not become clean by ourselves.  Jesus closed the gap between God and man, providing a way to the Father through His sacrifice.  God redeemed us in His love.  He loved us even in our imperfection.  He loved us even though we had abandoned our ways in Him.  He met us at where we were.  We never had to become “great” in order to receive His love.  He loved us first.  He loved in action, not words. 
Vs 16-18 – “This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him—how can God’s love reside in him?  Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth…”

Walking in the Word – I desire to love others with the love that God loves me with.  I desire to share this love with everyone.  I want others to experience joy, peace, and love in their lives.  I want to show Christs’ love by living by His word and being an example of Him in my life.  I will practice being slow to anger, quick to forgive, and always express love to others.  I do not want to just say I love people, but for people to see that I love them through my actions.  I desire to love because I am shown love by God no matter what…unconditionally.  You could say that man was designed for love. 

Prayer Response to the Word – Abba, Father, I thank You that You love me.  You loved me anyway, despite the wretched life I lived in my past.  My best works are still filthy rags and I am undeserving of Your love and grace, but You still love me and You still show me grace and mercy.  I praise You Lord!  Who is like You?  Who has such love for the broken?  You forgive us 70 times 7 Lord.  May I be able to see man through Your eyes.  I pray that I may love as You designed me and according to Your word.  I thank You for sending Your Son to die for me so that You could share fellowship with me again.  Who am I that You would be mindful of me Lord?  I thank You for Your mercy.  I pray that I do not waste this life and that You be glorified through the Son in my life as well.  I pray that I am pleasing to You Lord, as well as my family and my loved ones.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!