Monday, March 29: 1John 3-Lavish love

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday and in 6 days we will celebrate Easter. In between, we walk those last days with Jesus. This week is a most penetrating week for me, spiritually, as I contemplate the sacrifice Jesus made for me and for my salvation. Reading verse 1 was like dropping the start flag at the Daytona 500. My mind launched forward contemplating the sacrifices of God for us… How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

‘Lavished,’ that was the word which released my meditation. God lavished His love on us. The love lavished upon us was not mere talk, it was active, action-love. (add a definition of lavished). God spared nothing, held nothing back, He gave it all. God lavished us with love. I played that refrain as I did a mental walk with Jesus through the week.

Lord’s supper meal

Washing disciples’ feet

Prayer in the garden

The whole of arrest through death

The dark time in the tomb

That’s lavish love.

After some minutes of pondering and thinking, I resumed reading… This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (16-18). Never one to let me off easily, the Lord threw in a spiritual twist. Jesus’ lavish love is to be my example, my goal, for living and lavishing love on others.

(God never seems content to let my faith be merely lived in my head. No, God generally pushed me to transfer my contemplations into action.)

My eyes ran over verses 17 and 18 multiple times: And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth

God modeled it and now He transfers it to me (us). Love is more than mere talk, it is active-giving, action-oriented. That’s love and that’s how my Lord wants me to live…

Lord, as I enter the week when we remember all You gave for my salvation, how can I say ‘no’ to Your word asking me to love lavishly as You loved? Lord, I will need You Hold[HP1]  Spirit to live this out. Help me… please… in Jesus name. Amen.

 

 


 [HP1]I don’t know what Bill means here.

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