Devotion: 1 John 4:10-11

1 John 4:10-11 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We mentioned this verse in yesterday’s devotion, so you have already had a slight look at it. Today we look at grace and love, whereas yesterday we looked at grace and forgiveness.

There is no truer testament to love than what Christ did for us. He gave His life for us to live. He sacrificed Himself to give us eternal life, to save us from the consequences of sin. He saved us from everlasting separation from God, a fate that truly IS worse than death.

It was not US loving Him first. It was HIM loving us enough to send His Son to earth as a little, helpless baby, then watching Him grow, begin His ministry, and then be sacrificed as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus’s death was the atoning sacrifice that paid the penalty of sin. We have been made righteous, holy, and are new creations thanks to this amazing, selfless love given for you and me.

If God could love us that much, why can’t we love one another even a fraction of that? No one is asking you to lay down your life for your neighbor or to sacrifice yourself. But you ARE being asked to love others. That is one of the greatest commandments – Love God first, then love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37).

Loving others means giving grace where due. It means forgiving them when they sin against you or cause offense of some sort. It means letting go of bitterness and wrath and malice and all of those other emotions that may be clouding your vision, and loving them like Christ would. And Christ would extend grace if He were in your place. He DID extend grace, and your offense was far greater than what you feel are against you now. I know that is the case for me, at least. Of course I will do my best to extend grace to others because I know that I have received far more grace than I deserve or could ever ask for.

Today your task is to give grace to someone by loving them. Love them beyond their trespasses and offense. Love them no matter how egregious the offense. Love them because He loved you first.

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