Foundation: 1 John 4:7–8
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
The Heart of All Faith: Love
At the very center of the Christian life is one word - love. Everything Jesus taught, everything He did, and everything He calls us to become is rooted in this divine truth: God is love. To truly follow Jesus Christ is not just to believe in Him but to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is the deepest calling of our faith and the foundation upon which everything else stands.
1 John 4:7–8 reminds us that love is not optional, it is the evidence of knowing God. If we love, it’s because we have encountered Him. And if we truly know Him, love will flow from our lives naturally, because He is love.
Loving Jesus Begins With Relationship
Loving Jesus is not about religion or rituals it’s about relationship. It begins with recognizing who He is: the Son of God, who left heaven to rescue humanity. He loved us first - before we ever loved Him back. He stepped into our brokenness, bore our sins on the cross, and rose again so that we could walk in freedom and eternal life.
When we truly understand that sacrificial love, our hearts respond. Loving Jesus is our natural response to His relentless love for us. It’s not forced or fake, it’s born out of gratitude, awe, and trust in the One who gave everything for us.
Love Expressed Through Obedience
Jesus made it simple: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Love isn’t just words it’s action. True love for Christ shows up in how we live. It means choosing His way over our way, even when it’s hard. It means forgiving those who hurt us, walking in humility, serving others, and living with integrity when no one is watching. Obedience is not about earning God’s favor, it’s about reflecting our love back to Him. Just as a child obeys a loving parent out of trust, we obey Jesus because we trust His heart for us.
Loving Jesus Changes How We Love Others
When Jesus lives in us, love becomes the lens through which we see the world. His love teaches us to forgive quickly, give generously, and treat others with dignity and grace. It moves us beyond selfishness and empowers us to love even those who are difficult to love.
That’s why John wrote, “He who does not love does not know God.” Our love for people especially the broken, forgotten, and hurting is one of the clearest signs that we truly love Christ.
Love That Transforms Your Life
Loving Jesus isn’t just an emotion it’s a force that transforms everything. It shapes your identity, purifies your motives, and gives purpose to your days. It brings peace where there was anxiety, joy where there was sorrow, and hope where there was despair.
As His love grows in you, it overflows into every part of your life your relationships, your decisions, your work, and your worship. Loving Him changes not just what you do, but who you are.
Final Thought: Love Is the Mark of a Disciple
At the end of the day, Jesus never said people would know us by our preaching, our knowledge, or our church attendance. He said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
To love Jesus Christ is to let His love define you to live every day in response to the love that rescued you, and to share that love with the world around you. It’s not just the first step of faith. It’s the journey, the destination, and the heartbeat of everything we are called to be.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, teach me what it truly means to love You. Help my heart to stay devoted, my words to honor You, and my actions to reflect Your love. Draw me closer to You every day, and let my life be a testimony of Your grace and goodness. Amen.
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