Loving God

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled, Loving God, was written by Ann Cetus. The professor ended his online class in one of two ways each time. He'd say, see you next time, or have a good weekend. Some students would respond with, thank you, you too. But one day a student responded, I love you. Surprised, he replied, I love you too. That evening the classmates agreed to create an I love you chain for the next class time in appreciation for their professor who had to teach to a screen on his computer, not in person teaching as he preferred. A few days later when he finished teaching the professor said, see you next time. And one by one the students replied, I love you.

They continued this practice for months. The teacher said this created a strong bond with his students and he now feels their family. In 1 John 4 verses 10 through 21, we as part of God's family find several reasons to say, I love you to him. He sent his son as a sacrifice for our sin. He gave us his spirit to live in us.

His love is always reliable and we never need to fear judgment. He enables us to love him and others because he first loved us. The next time you gather with God's people, take time to share your reasons for loving him. Making an I love you chain for God will bring him praise and bring you closer together.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 John chapter 4 verses 10 through 21. This is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us.

He has given us of his spirit and we have seen and testify that the father has sent his son to be the savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in them and they in God, and so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment. In this world, we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment.

The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Let's pray. We are so grateful for your love, Father. We thank you for showing us what true love is by sending your only son to save us and redeem us. We pray that you would help us to live out that kind of love with those around us every day because, as Jesus said in 1 John 4.16, whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them. May that be true of us, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening. My name is Rachelle Traub and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.