Compelling Love!

Someone has said: "The love that descends is always greater than the love that ascends. The love of the child is only a response to the love of the parent." Have we witnessed that in this world? Have we experienced either end or both?

John stated it this way. . .
"(7) Beloved, let us love one another, for LOVE IS FROM GOD, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (8) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (9) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (10) IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE HAVE LOVED GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (12) No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. . . (19) We love BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US." ( 1 John 4:7-12 & 19 ESV)

How responsive are we to GOD'S LOVE? Are we allowing it to be a controlling or compelling force in our life as Paul did? ( 2 Corinthians 5:14) We need to keep GOD'S LOVE in focus in order for it to be the springboard from which comes our continued obedience to Him and the basis on which we relate to each other. We did not start this thing called "love" -- God did! Neither is this "love" to stop with us, but rather is to flow through us. By loving others, GOD'S LOVE is made complete in us. Let us each allow our Heavenly Father's love to prompt our every thought, word, and action -- and all to His glory and praise!

Have a great day RESPONDING TO GOD'S AWESOME LOVE!
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent for 07/01/1998 (Edited some with passages changed to ESV)]

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