The LORD loves you.....

Today we focus on God's love.  Love is such an important part of the Bible, of God Himself.  We read in 1 John 4:

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE." 

And all through the Bible we find the emphasis being put on love, and how much God loves us.  We could not go far in this subject without bringing in John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

No one who understands the sacrifice that was made in sending the Son to die could question the love of God for us.  The writings of John are full of the love subject.  And remember that John described himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21).  He says in 1 John 4:19:

"We love Him because He first loved us."  His love was first....and continual.

But Jesus put this back on us; that is, that we must not only love Him back, but we must love others.  Note John 13:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;  as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

And Jesus taught that we are to love all people.  We learn in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 that an injured man is passed up by supposed religious people, a priest and a Levite, but is helped by a Samaritan, an enemy of the Jews.  We are to love our enemies.

And finally, note the beautiful and powerful wording of Deuteronomy 10:12-15,

¹² And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

¹⁴ To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. ¹⁵ Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today.

The Lord loves everyone, and especially His people.  Let us love Him.

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week.....and feel the love!