Perfect Love
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
1 John 4:15-18 ESV
I love this passage and the profound reality that all believers live in: God abides in us and us in God. I find this to be a refreshing and comforting reality in this season. In a time where it is easy to focus on uncertainty, many sources of stress, and the effects of isolation, this passage encourages us to place our focus instead on the reality that GOD IS NEAR TO US!
The last part of this passage describes that God does not just express love, but He IS love. There are many different definitions for love in our culture, but we see that God is perfect love. He pursues us, He loves us endlessly, and He chose to save us from our sin when we didn’t deserve it. He is a good father who accepts you as you are.
In this season, our connection with our Father in heaven is critical. It’s in His presence that we find peace, joy, security and REST. It would make sense for the enemy to come against our connection with the Father during this time. We are already isolated from others, but he also wants to isolate us from our Father. A tactic that the enemy uses to keep us from our Father’s presence is to shake our confidence that we are accepted by God. If we feel we don’t belong around God, we will not press into the depths of His presence.
My encouragement this morning is to STAND IN FAITH ON THE TRUTH WE FIND IN THE WORD OF GOD: I AM ACCEPTED AND LOVED BY MY HEAVENLY FATHER.
Questions for Reflection:
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Have I been resting in my Father’s presence, or have I been distant from Him?
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How can I receive this truth on a new level: God loves and accepts me right now just as I am?
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Am I agreeing with any lies that make me believe I am not worthy to be in His presence or that He doesn’t accept all of me?
Action Steps:
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Listen to this song (Who You Say I am - Hillsong) and receive the Father’s love for you.
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Declare out loud: I am chosen by God!