He First Loved Us

Call to Prayer

Title: He First Loved Us

By: Daniel Peter

Date: 15.02.2023

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 KJV

The Christian faith is a call to love; to love God and people. This makes love the core of our faith, and an element that determines profit in the Kingdom (1Cor. 13:1-3). Despite this call to love, many in the body of Christ are lacking in this, even among the most gifted among us.

The practice of love is lacking among many, partly because of a misunderstanding of the nature of the love we have been asked to express, as the world’s perception of love is quite different. Love in the world is based on feelings which may be inspired by something pleasant by the one we are loving, but love in the Kingdom is a principle of living expressed to one that may not be deserving.

Understanding the nature of love will help us to see and respond to things differently. For example, when offended by someone, instead of responding back with offense, we will see it as an opportunity to express the love of Christ to that person by forgiving them, correcting them, and remaining kind to them despite their ill actions towards us. Again, anytime we choose to live in obedience to the instructions of God, we are saying to God and the one we are relating with that we love them (John 14:15-24).

It becomes easier to express this love towards others when we know and understand that Christ was the first to love us. For while we were yet in sin, He died for us (Rom. 5:8-9). Beyond the cross, He has continued to express that love to us by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us and through others. Our response to the love we have received from Him is to love others as He has loved us (John 13:34).

So, loving others is a way of saying thank you to God, and it is done by obedience to His instructions.

Prayer Point

Let’s thank God for His word. Let’s ask Him to help us to love like Him.