Summer Fruit Devotion: Love Day 1

Who is Love?

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 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. 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. 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. We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:7-19 ESV

John calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” His confidence in loving others came from the very love of God abiding so deeply in his heart that it permeated every bit of his life. Meditate on this passage of scripture. Read it again and notice how many times John emphasizes love. This is the selfless “agape” love of God.

If you’re the journaling type grab a notebook and see if you can answer a few questions from this passage.

Where does love come from?

Who is love?

How is God’s love made manifest among us?

Who should we love?

How is God’s love perfected in us?

How can we know if we abide in God and he in us?

What does love do to fear?

Why do we love?

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for your perfect love in our lives and that you loved us so much you send Jesus to die and make a way for us to know that love. We confess right now that Jesus is the Son of God and ask for your love to abide in us. Holy Spirit, let us be mindful of God’s love throughout our day. Make us instruments of this perfect agape/love to the people around us. Help us to let go of bitterness and cast out any fears. Help us to see ourselves as the disciples whom Jesus loved. In Jesus’ beloved and precious name, Amen.