“We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
We Just Do
I called my daughter over to me and had her sit on my lap. (Let me tell you how thankful I am that this one daughter of mine still fits!) We cuddled for a few minutes, and then out of curiosity I asked her, “Why do you love me?”
“I just do,” she replied.
These three short words may not mean a lot at face value, but they immediately led me to an absolute truth about God:
We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 1:19 KJV)
I learned this verse years ago, but God’s Living Word struck me in a new and profound way when my daughter said those words. Why does my daughter love me? It’s because I first loved her. From the example of love I have shown, she has learned it, felt it, embraced it, and then reciprocated. What we have together is a beautiful gift.
But then I wondered, why do I love her? Why do I love anyone at all? Plain and simple, it’s because God first loved me.
Sometimes, we love others because they do things for us, but that’s just conditional love. When you truly love someone, you can’t provide a rational explanation. You just do. Remember, dear mama, you learned this kind of love from only one person: your Heavenly Father. And that is also a beautiful gift—the most precious gift of all.
Our love toward the Lord should not be based on feelings. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus says that we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your soul.” We are told, commanded really, to love God!
1 John 4:8 and 16 both declare that “God is love.” He’s so full of love that He desired to pour His love into others. Thus, He created the universe, all living creatures, non-living objects, and finally, us. To this very day, He continues to create so that He can continue to love, love, love, love, love.
We may not be able to fathom completely why He loves us; sometimes we even feel unlovable and undeserving of His perfect love. But, through all of that, we love Him. It is in our hearts, and we just do.
Blessings and Love,
Daphne
Go Deeper:
- Read 1 John 4:7-21. Read it slowly, intentionally, whispering the passage out loud so that it sinks into your heart.
What’s Next?
Set a reminder to read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (the Love Chapter) out loud daily. Don’t just read it to yourself; read it with your husband and your children. In particular, read it when tension stirs up within the family!
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