Freedom in ChristExemplo

Free to Love

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (v. 12 NIV)

Let’s start by stating these truths: “God is love” (v. 16), and without God there’s no love (v. 19). There is no shame nor is there fear in love (v. 18).

Right from the beginning, the story of creation is one of love (Gen. 1-2). Then the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus display God’s perfect personification of love, and as a result, God calls us to live out this love. Putting this display and result together “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” (1 John 3:16). But the apostle John recognized that God is invisible, and no human being “has ever seen God” (4:12). Yet here and there in the Bible’s story, God appeared or manifested himself, yet a clearer revelation was coming.

How then was God made visible? “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” because “the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (4:2, 14). But there’s more: “If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” (v. 12). That’s how people are able to see God. We can only do this if our lives abide in Christ, for as God abides in us, his love is perfected in us.

As you pray, ask God to make you a channel of his love and blessing to others as you abide in Him.

Keziah Namusaazi is Manager of Production and Broadcast for Words of Hope Uganda.

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We hope this plan encouraged you.

Read more devotionals from these authors at Words of Hope.