1 John 4:10-11, 19 “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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. We love because he first loved us.2“(ESV)
On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 struck the 14th Street Bridge, plunging into the icy Potomac during a snowstorm. Although many lost their lives that day, one selfless hero, Arland Williams Jr., repeatedly gave up his chance to survive, passing the lifeline five times to others before succumbing to the elements himself.
John reminds us of the source of love itself: God. Love is not just one of His faculties. It is the very substance of His being. Our acts of kindness and sacrifice are the overflow of our Creator’s love for us. He is the source. We are the delivery mechanism.
Arland’s sacrifice points to a greater one: God sending His Son, Jesus, to be the payment for our sins. This is not sentimental love. It is substitutionary, wrath-bearing sacrifice. Or as John Piper says, “God does not love us because we are valuable; we are valuable because He loves us.”
A thoughtful refocus of love’s source. D.L. Moody said it well: “If I could make you believe tonight that God loves you, it would revolutionize your life.”
Verse 19’s impact is revolutionary: “We love because He first loved us.2“(ESV)
How are you showing God’s love today?
Have you felt it in your life?
Stay on Mission
Leave a Reply