Love: The Most Excellent Way

We probably all know 1 John 3:1 "see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is who we are."

It's a very rich verse. Whatever we feel about ourselves, whether we believe we are loveable or not, is irrelevant to how the Father sees us. We may lack self worth, suffer from self doubt, feel rejected or even unloveable. We may feel unworthy, second class or only too aware of our failings and short-comings. All of which sow doubt into our heart about how, or even if, the Father loves us. 

Any doubts we may have are completely swept away by this verse. We are loved simply because God is our Father and we are his children. 

It's no ordinary love. The NIV refers to it as "great love" whilst the ESV invites us to examine what "kind of love" it is. This is not human love which is tainted by our background and experience. This is a love which has existed from before the beginning of time. As Jeremiah says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). 

A bit further on in John's letter he tells us more of what this great love is like. 

It is sacrificial (1 John 3:16). As Christ laid down his life for us so we should lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Love, John says, is shown not only in our words but more importantly through our actions. 

This love is totally reliable (1 John 4:16). We can depend on it as it does not originate in us but rather in the eternal, unchanging nature and character of our Father. 

It's a love that makes us secure as it deals with one of our greatest struggles. Fear. Fear paralyses us, destroys our peace and raises a lot of questions we feel we need answers to, yet they are answers we may never find. Love drives all fear away and brings us into the Father's embrace which is a place of safety and security. Despite what may be going on around us, when we know we are loved we feel secure. Love comes, fear goes. 

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us more about this great love. It is patient, kind, not boastful or proud, it honours, it seeks the good of others, it is not angry, it does not keep a record of wrong, it believes in others. it is strong and it never fails. This is the kind of love that John is talking about. 

One thing I noticed when recently reading 1 Corinthians 13 is that it says we "have" love. We don't primarily "do" love. Yes, of course, we are to be loving and caring but I believe this chapter is principally talking about receiving. In fact, in this context the word 'have' means to receive, contain or even be possessed by. We are called to be possessed by love, it is indeed the most excellent way. 

As John tells us in his first letter, any love we have is a reflection and consequence of the love we have received. We can only love because we have first received love (1 John 4:19). 

We must never let ourselves think that we are loved purely because of our behaviour, achievements or actions. Such love would be conditional. The Father's love for us is completely unconditional. It is dependent not on us but solely on him and who he is (1 John 4:16). 

Pause for a moment and imagine the love the Father has for his Son, Jesus. Imagine the intensity and intimacy of his love and that relationship. 

The good news is that is exactly the same love with which we are loved. We read these words in John 17:26: "I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

One final comment in closing. Returning to 1 John 3:1, the NIV tells us that this love is lavished on us simply because we are God's children. Lavish is an incredibly generous word. It's not a trickle but a never ending cascade of love being poured into our heart by the Holy Spirit. 

What's left to say other than allow yourself to be lavished (or saturated) by this great love. It will truly change your life!