December 9, 2009
READING: 1 John 4:7-16
Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4: 11-12
Most of us love “love” stories. The Bible is full of love stories. And today’s reading from the book of I John is one example. (not the GOSPEL of John - I John at the very back of your Bible….)Actually, the story of Jesus, his life and work, is not part of I John, but the essence of his life and work permeates the book.
Read this passage in the 4th chapter of I John again. Then select verse 10 and concentrate on it. It STUNS us. It STOPS US IN OUR TRACKS.. He loves us….! “Not that we loved God, but that he loves us…..” Or, as we read in John 15:16 (the GOSPEL John), “You did not choose ME, but I chose YOU”.
To think that we humans, running around on this planet, in charge of our own affairs, living life as we see it, really cannot get out of God’s grasp, even if we wanted to. He chose YOU----ME--- to love. He will love us until we come to his heavenly kingdom.
Because we are enveloped daily in busyness, worry, family and job concerns, we must return again and again to the “canopy of love”---to the amazing truth of God’s love wrapped up in “swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”.
READING: 1 John 4:7-16
Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4: 11-12
Most of us love “love” stories. The Bible is full of love stories. And today’s reading from the book of I John is one example. (not the GOSPEL of John - I John at the very back of your Bible….)Actually, the story of Jesus, his life and work, is not part of I John, but the essence of his life and work permeates the book.
Read this passage in the 4th chapter of I John again. Then select verse 10 and concentrate on it. It STUNS us. It STOPS US IN OUR TRACKS.. He loves us….! “Not that we loved God, but that he loves us…..” Or, as we read in John 15:16 (the GOSPEL John), “You did not choose ME, but I chose YOU”.
To think that we humans, running around on this planet, in charge of our own affairs, living life as we see it, really cannot get out of God’s grasp, even if we wanted to. He chose YOU----ME--- to love. He will love us until we come to his heavenly kingdom.
Because we are enveloped daily in busyness, worry, family and job concerns, we must return again and again to the “canopy of love”---to the amazing truth of God’s love wrapped up in “swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”.
“Love be our song and love our prayer
And love our endless story;
May God fill ev’ry day we share
And bring us at last into glory”.
(Marty Haugen, WOV #633)
And love our endless story;
May God fill ev’ry day we share
And bring us at last into glory”.
(Marty Haugen, WOV #633)
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