31 Days of Devotion, Day 14 by John Moreland

Daily Reading: John 3:16, 1 John 3:16 

What a privilege to get to dig into perhaps one of the most familiar scriptures summarizing God’s great love for us and His plan for restoration and eternal life. Interestingly John 3:16 is one of several foundational 3:16’s in the New Testament and that is an illuminating study in itself. For our purposes, we will focus in on John 3:16 and its profound corollary in 1 John 3:16. 

 Here is how they flow together and connect His love for us and His love through us to others. 

John 3:16 For God SO loved the world that he GAVE his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  

Pretty straightforward here, but I want to make clear that it is not something we do by our own power but is up from His RIVERS OF LIVING WATER placed in us that must not be restrained. We love because He first loved us and empowered us and commanded us to administer His love in us to others. LOVE HIM and open His flow AND LOVE THEM. 

Daily Prayer  

Thank you, God, for the gift of your Son in whom we find eternal life and abundant life. Fill us with your love that it might overflow in our lives and bring new life to others. Amen.