John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
There is one thing that can change the lives of people and that is LOVE. From the beginning of time when the earth was created to the creation of mankind, all things were done because of Love. God’s love for mankind, His glorious creation, is eternal. God’s love is unconditional (Agape love) and unchanging.
For God so loved the world, He sent His only son to die on the cross so that whoever believes in Him shall be saved. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the disconnected relationship due to sin between mankind and God the Father is now restored.
How should we respond to God’s amazing love? First, accept that love. By accepting God’s love, we will have a father-son/daughter relationship with the Lord. That love of God will enable us to face any situation, no matter how bad it may be. This love will make us strong and keep us moving forward with the Lord.
After accepting His unconditional and unchanging love, it is only right for us to return that love. One of the ways we can return God’s love is to become a witness that shares the good news of salvation and His goodness. The lives of Christians are also testimonies that can bring people to salvation. Therefore, it is important for us as believers to guard our lives so that we are blameless. Don’t become a stumbling block, but let the light of Christ shine through our lives.
Another way to return God’s love is by loving others as ourselves. Matthew 22:39: And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ This is not easy. If we must love others as ourselves, that means we can no longer do bad things to others. We can no longer talk about the bad things of others. We must treat others the same way we want to be treated. It is surely difficult to practice this with our own strength. We must ask the Lord and the Holy Spirit to keep shaping and helping us so that we can apply this law of love without any difficulties.
In the last days before Jesus’ second coming, let us love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind; and live in love with one another.
Maranatha, Jesus is coming soon. God bless.
Source: Publishing Team, IBC Church