Complement: A 5-Day Devo for MenSample

DAY 2 - Changed by God’s Love

Throughout my life, all of my biggest struggles shoot out from the same root. Whether it was years of being addicted to pornography, or years of feeling extreme loneliness and insecurity, it all came from the same place—not truly believing God could love me. And until that root issue was addressed, there was no way for me to love Jamie, much less anyone else.

So many of my identity issues and love issues and sin issues stemmed from what I thought about God.

I assumed God was angry all the time, and when you think about God being angry, you can’t help but live with a fear that He’ll snap and suddenly crush you.

I assumed God was disappointed with me, and when you think this way about God, you’ll spend every day of your life trying to out-work and out-impress every human you encounter.

If you think God is indifferent toward you, you’ll be indifferent with yourself, and everyone else you’re in a relationship with as well.

But when you begin to think rightly about God, everything changes. First John 4 describes something specific about God’s love. It says that He made His love known by sending His Son, Jesus, into the world.

The scripture says that “the love of God was made manifest among us.” Plainly put, the love of God showed up. It crashed through the walls of what everyone had ever thought about God. And when they got a glimpse of Jesus, they were peering into the very heart of God. And inside that big, beautiful heart is outrageous Love.

One of the most distinguishing marks about the love of God is found in the way Jesus displayed His love. The form He deliberately chose as the greatest display of His love for us was being a servant. And although I’m not fully sure why God would write the story this way, I do know this: There’s no greater display of love than servanthood. 

If we’re ever going to learn what true love is, we have to get to the place where we are awestruck and deeply moved by the God who is Love. The One that came to serve us, not be served by us. When we think rightly about God, and when we think this way when God comes to our mind, it will change us.

Discuss with your spouse:

• How do you view God’s love for you? How does your view affect the way you love your spouse?
• Since loving your spouse well is “costly and difficult,” what might it cost you to be a better lover of your spouse, loving him or her as Jesus loves you?