Devotions: Genuine Love

 

Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

This may seem overly simple, but it is more difficult in practice than one may think. Of course we are to love one another. Jesus said that is how the world would know that we are His followers, by our love, but do we actually do it? God is love, so if we are God’s then we should love also, but we cannot give what we do not have. In order to give His love we must receive it and to receive it we must seek and accept it. So many are not filled with God’s love because they are not seeking Him. They believe but are just living life without seeking to grow or seek God. Their faith is shallow and complacent. Others are not filled with His love because they are unable to accept it, whether through feelings of pride or shame. They feel they are good enough already, or will never be good enough. They either can’t humble themselves enough to love, or cannot forgive themselves enough to receive it. Still others are so full of sin and this world that there is no room for God to fill. They believe but haven’t taken the work to clean the closet so God can fill them with godliness. We have to seek God and allow Him to fill us before we can give. The following verse says that those who do not love are not of God, for God is love. That is a reminder and a warning. We need to seek God and His love, but we also need to seek to give it, not out of duty but out of love. The good things we do will mean nothing if we are not motivated by love. That is the whole point of the Bible. God cares more about our hearts, about our motives and intentions, than our actions. Actions can be faked. God wants people who genuinely love, who serve sincerely. Do you love others, even those you do not agree with? Do you love God and receive His love? Are you seeking God, to be filled by Him? Ask God to clean out your heart so that you can seek and be filled by Him.

 

 

 

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