A God who loves us!
The letter of 1 John is written by John, the disciple of Jesus. In his Gospel, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” At first glance, you may read that as arrogant, as if John is claiming that only he was loved by Jesus while the others were merely liked.
As I have been sitting in this week’s verse, I no longer read it with any ill intent. Instead, I am beginning to understand that John was merely expressing the overall feeling he received from Jesus—LOVE!
I am convinced that God wants us all to say the same about ourselves:
Jordan, the son loved by God!
Insert your name as well.
Too often, however, that is not how I feel. I feel like a disappointment. I worry that I have not done enough, trusted enough, or believed enough to truly be loved by God—and I find myself simply hoping that he still likes me.
Have you ever felt that?
John writes as the one loved by Jesus these words that we will look at all week:
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
(1 John 4:16–19)
Love is not something we earn from God; it is what we have received from him because he is love.
God is love, and he pours out his love on us.
Think back to Jesus’ baptism in Mark 1:9–11. Before Jesus had done any work to save, heal, or help—before the first miracle, the Sermon on the Mount, or even resisting temptation—God says these words about Jesus:
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Jesus is loved not because of what he has done but because of who he is—the Son of God.
Our relationship with God is not exactly the same as Jesus’, but through Christ we have been brought into the family of God. We are adopted as sons and daughters.
Because of Jesus, you do not wake up each morning trying to convince your Father to love you.
You are loved.
God is not a fair-weather friend who only loves you when you are good, obedient, and trusting. God is a faithful Father who never stops and never gives up loving you.
