The Mirror Effect

1 John 4:19: “We love Him, because He first loved us” reveals the key to loving our Lord: I can only love God to the extent that I allow myself to be loved by Him. We are completely dependent on Him, and only He can generate divine affection within us. It takes Jesus to aspire to Jesus. So we must begin by receiving. Receiving the great price paid by Christ on the cross. Receiving His love, peace, and justice within ourselves. Being aware that I can do nothing to obtain my salvation—this is a free and deliberate gift that our God alone can offer. It always has been and always will be by His glorious grace.

What is magnificent, however, is that we have the honor as Christians to respond to the Lord's touch. The Lord did not create us as willless, soulless robots. We have emotions and a capacity to return all the affection Christ gives us directly to Him. The Christian life is really a continual face-to-face with Jesus where we replicate what He gives us.

In this way, His zeal for His house becomes my zeal for His house. The joy that the Father and Heaven experience when a person turns to Christ also becomes my own joy and a cause for praise. If He keeps me as the apple of the eye (Ps 17:8), I keep Him as the ultimate treasure of my life. The fact that He has given everything for me inspires me to give everything for Him.

What joy to be able to receive God and His hand, and then, in turn, to reflect our love for Him! What a pleasure to be able to mirror His deeds and have a dynamic, true, and living relationship with Him!

Take a few minutes to ask Jesus to come and take all the space. Then stay in His presence and surrender yourself to Him.

To help you, you can play this song in the background: "Show Me Your Face" | Jesus Image

Jean-Luc Trachsel