God’s Love is the Foundation
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16
God’s love in our hearts is the foundation of the Christian life. With our hearts filled with God’s love, the Bible now describes our new character and serving the Lord is a desire. It brings us closer to the Lord, gives us faith, takes away fear from Satan, and we know Heaven is home.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31) God’s love is the highest form of love titled agape love. “When the word “agape” is used in the Bible, it refers to a pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good.” (Christianity.com) We show our love for God by showing his love to others and we show his love to others because God fills our heart with his love.
Many people look at the Bible as a rule book of commands, but love makes all these commands natural, because God is love and the more love the more Christ-like we become. He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, (Romans 8:29) Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Every prayer that the Lord answers, he is seeking to make us more Christ-like. Therefore when you pray think how God can answer that prayer making you more Christ-like.
The key to the Christian’s life is to become more like Jesus, and we can do this by reading about Jesus in his ministry and noticing the love and compassion he had for people. Love and compassion is the heart of God. We become more Christ-like as we start living as Jesus lived. If we seek to be more Christ-like and the Lord’s desire is for us to be more Christ-like, then if we pray, we will become more Christ-like. Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
We become more Christ-like, when obeying God’s commands becomes natural, and desirable with decreasing fear. We are closer to the Lord because God is love, and love casts out fear. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. (1 John 4:18) God’s love and Satan’s fear cannot coexist in our hearts and there is no punishment because Heaven is our eternal home.
We are created to be filled with love which relaxes us and aids our physical health. A mind of love helps us mentally, both in memory and in thinking. Love erases toxic thoughts such as fear from Satan, and unforgiveness. Love takes away self-centeredness and makes us God and others centered. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) Love enables us to put God first, and with the Lord’s divine help he enables us to take care of our worldly needs.
Today, seek to live as Jesus did with a heart of love and compassion. It takes time to fill our hearts with God’s love, it’s is life-long process. A heart filled with God’s love brings peace, joy, and security.
Prayer: Lord, make be like your Son by filling my heart with your love and compassion. Guide me in the Spirit to reflect your love to people, so they that know eternal life only comes through Christ. In Jesus name, Amen