Together - Daily DevotionalSample

There’s More Love One Another

Reading: 1 John 3:11-24

Key Verse: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” v. 18

The instruction to love one another is repeated by many apostles such as Paul, James, Peter and John so it is clearly essential if we are to be authentic disciples of Jesus.  John in particular emphasises that love is not merely a Hollywood feeling but a human action. 

John’s words introduce us to another quality of Jesus love for us. It is a practical love. If Jesus had just come to earth with wonderful teaching and amazing miracles it would not have been enough. It might have made our lives better but we would still die in our sins estranged from God. The five thousand might have been fed, lepers healed and faith stirred but they would still have “perished”. The only practical way for Jesus to love us was to die in our place as a substitute sacrifice for our sins.

If we are to love one another as Jesus loved us we therefore need to express both feelings and actions.  Actions that feed the hungry, care for the sick, clothe the naked, seek the lost, visit the prisoners and embrace the lonely. We should not merely offer friendliness at the door but friendship for life.

Prayer: Holy Spirit show and help me to be ever more practical in the way I love others