Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.5.1-2.NIV
The Christian religion should be marked by love. It is the only religion with such an absolute at its core and foundation. It is the only religion that requires its adherents to love God and love everyone as they love themselves. This is true because Christianity is not another and better religion, but rather the revelation of the One True God, Who is love. All of the man-made gods behave like men. Promising sexual reward, power, and prestige to its adherents. All of these false religions promote the things we most want because we are evil. Yet under all of these things we think we want, what we really want is to be loved and to love others. God is love, He created us in love, and He created us to love, which is why love is so fundamental and foundational to humanity. Yet we struggle daily to love. God’s love begins with initiating good to those who cannot necessarily do good back. His love created us for no other reason than that He desired to love us. God initiated coming to earth to die for us in order to reconcile us to Himself. Our rebellion created a break in our love relationship with God, and consequently, our love relationship with each other. God initiated coming to us in love to die for us while we were still rebels against Him. Love initiates good toward the object of its love. Love is unconditional and sacrificial. This is the character of God in Jesus. Jesus’ love for us led Him to the cross. Our rebellion had to be atoned for. Love doesn’t overlook or condone evil; it seeks to transform evil into good. Sacrificial love gives itself to help the object of its love become restored. Jesus’ sacrifice makes possible our reconciliation with God, our restoration to a right relationship with Him, leading to our eternal physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Through Jesus, love is restored in its purity in us and through us for God and one another for all eternity.
RUN TODAY’S PLAY: Imitate Jesus by loving others sacrificially
