This is Love

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

1 John 4:9-10

The past few months I have been looking into identity with my mentor and my small group. As I've delved into who I am because of God's character, I have began to realize exactly how blessed I am. How blessed we all are. Growing up in the church we all hear "Jesus loves you" and it's oftentimes compared to the love between a parent and child. While I do believe this is the closest example we will see, I also believe it doesn't fully capture the extent of God's love. 1 John 4:9-10, in my opinion, paints the best picture of God's love. God is love. Yet He is not love because we love Him. God is love because He loves. God loves us when we sin over and over. He is love when we walk away from His plan. He is love when we doubt His goodness. He is even love when we deny His existence. He doesn't love us because He has to, because He doesn't have to. He loves us because He wants to. Sometimes, I can't even comprehend that. Most mornings I wake up feeling unworthy of anyone's love. How is it that the God of the universe looks at me and says, "Her. I love her." and it's not for what I have to offer, but for who I am? I am His child and not for anything that I could do or have done.

I believe this is important to believe as we become who the Lord planned for us to be. Yet, I also believe this shows us how we should strive to be. While our love isn't perfect like God's, the idea of love and grace being given when it isn't deserved is integral to the Christian life. Where much is given, much is expected. We have been given far more than we deserve in terms of love, now we must give that in return. Our world so clearly lacks grace and love and that is seen every single day. Whether we are scrolling online through hateful comments or judging our neighbor for their political views, we live in a cruel world that is quick to hate. I'd go even further and say our culture almost promotes hating and judging as, not just normal, but something to be praised. Take a look at cancel culture and "bad bitch" (pardon my language) energy. There doesn't appear to be any room for real love in our culture anymore.

1 John 3:1 says,

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

We are children of God and as such, we are greatly loved. As a response to this love, our goal should be to make the Lord known. How do we do this? We love just as God has loved us.