God’s Love
By Major Pam Markham
San Bernardino, CA Corps – California South Division
Read 1 John 4:7-21 in the Message version.
I love Hallmark movies. There I have confessed, and it is out there for all to hear. I can watch them over and over again and I love it when they play the Christmas ones all year long. I love when it is February and they really pour on the love and add a wedding. When my children were younger my husband would take the kids out for a while on Saturdays, then I could get all the laundry done, clean the house and watch Hallmark without any interruptions. I even have my husband to the point where he will turn on the Hallmark channel even if I am doing something else.
My grandson has been staying with us while his mom is working in another state. He comes in the room and yells, “Not another Hallmark!” and then proceeds to state the obvious, “They fall in love, there is a misunderstanding, and they get back together.” Yep, that’s why I like Hallmark, they always have a happy ending.
As much as we would love to think that Hallmark has the perfect love stories and they always end in happily ever after, it’s all a fantasy. In real life we have disappointment, heartache, and loss.
I John 4:11-12 (MSG) says this, “My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us – perfect love!”
God is love. Pure and simple. If we say we love God then we should show others the same love. God sent his Son to die for us, to take away all the ugliness in our lives, to cleanse us and make us new and beautiful. God makes us perfect in his love. Perfect love, what more could we want. It’s what we look for in a spouse, it’s what we want in our parents, we hope love our children and grandchildren like this, but in reality perfect love can only be found in a relationship with God.
Beloved, let us love one another
for love is of God, and ev’ry one who loveth is born of God and knoweth God
He that loveth not
*clap, clap, clap*
loveth not God
for God is love
beloved let us love one another
1 John 4: 7 and 8
Growing up I loved this song; it was always a reminder of how I should be living each and every day. I still find myself humming it every once in a while and smiling, because I know that God loves me and I need to continue loving others in return.
I John 4:17 (MSG) “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgement Day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.”
When we love God and He lives in us we too are guaranteed the true happy ending that Hallmark could never give.
Download the PRINTABLE VERSION of this devotional.
Note: Also on our website is WARPED LOVE Bible study and COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS craft that coordinates with this devotional.
