God Is Love

Pause & Reflect

Scripture doesn't merely say that God shows love. It tells us: God is love. And John immediately explains what that love looks like by pointing us toward Christ. God's love is therefore not defined by whatever we happen to want love to mean. We understand divine love most clearly through God's action in sending His Son. His love initiates. His love gives. His love seeks our redemption. This matters because human experiences can distort our understanding of love. Some people have experienced affection that was conditional, manipulative, inconsistent or withdrawn when expectations weren't met. God's character provides a better definition. As His love takes deeper root in you, it also changes the way you love others. John does not allow us to receive God's love as merely a comforting private experience. Women who are loved by God are called to become women who love. Before asking, “How can I make everyone love me?” ask: “How deeply am I learning to live from the love God has already demonstrated in Christ?”