Love Notes

As I read from the Epistles of John this morning I noticed a common thread on the theme of love. I am calling these threads "Love Notes". I want to learn to how to weave this kind of love - God's love - into my life in such a way that I become more and more a reflection of Him in my earthly relationships...

God's love is made complete in me when I obey His Word. I must obey and love others.
(1 John 2:5; 4:12)

I must not love the world or anything in it. (1 John 2:15)

I am a child of God. I am so loved by my Father that He delights in lavishing His affections on me. (1 John 3:1)

From the beginning, God has commanded, "Love one another." (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11)

I know what love is, the deepest meaning of love, through Jesus' death on the cross. He laid down His very life for me. So I am commanded to lay down my life for others - putting them first, and me last. (1 John 3:16; 4:9-10)

Love gives out of abundance to those in need. (1 John 3:17)

Love does more than talk about it - love backs it up with actions that line up with God's Word. (1 John 3:18)

God is love. Because I live in love I live in God, and He in me. (1 John 4:16)

If my actions reflect Jesus in this world, I will be able to stand with confidence on the day of judgement. (1John 4:17)

Love does not fear. Perfect love drives fear out because fear cripples and hinders, but love grants peace and confidence. If I fear, I must have more growing to do in the understanding and application of love. (1 John 4:18)

The reason I can love is because He first loved me. Before I existed, He knew me. He was delighted in me and already loved me. (1 John 4:19)

Love is able to love the person, not the sin, regardless of the measure. I cannot hate someone and yet claim to love God. The two cannot co-exist. (1 John 4:20-21)

Because I love God, I must love His children and obey God's commands concerning them. (1 John 5:1-3)

I am called to walk in love. God's Word says this means walking in obedience to all that He commands. (2 John 6)

I am loving well when I am faithfully serving others - both those whom I know and those who are strangers - in a way that honors the Lord. (3 John 5-6)

A note penned on the pages of 1 John in my Bible sums these Love Notes up in this way: "My earthly relationships overflow from my relationship with God."

In other words, if I am not loving God well, with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, my earthly relationships will be lacking and suffer. I must learn to love God well!