Why Should We Love?

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

A careful survey of the Bible concerning the object of our scriptural love demonstrates that each object has a connection to the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, these loves stem from a love for the Lord. For instance, we love the brethren because the Lord loves them and we love Him (1 John 3:17). We love righteousness because it is what God loves (Psalm 11:7). We love the words of the Bible because they are God’s words and therefore, they are pure (Psalm 119:140). There would be nothing worth loving and no reason to love if it were not for the Lord’s love. People might provide various reasons when asked why they love the Lord, but in reality there is only one reason why we love Him or anything else for that matter. “We love him, because he first loved us.” The fact of the matter is that we love and should love because God loved us and loves us.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

(For children): God is love. Because He loves us, He expects us to love one another (1 John 4:7). Jesus told His disciples that others would know that they were His followers if they had love one to another (John 13:34-35). Are we showing this love to a world that so desperately needs to see it?

(For everyone): Lost people cannot truly know love. Knowing this, who taught us to love (1 Thessalonians 4:9)? If knowing the Lord is the only way we can know the truth concerning love, how should this affect what objects to which we devote our love?

(For everyone): Perhaps one of the saddest experiences takes place when a person loves someone but that love is not reciprocated or returned. How often do you think this happens to the Lord? Do you ever fail to return His love?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

Ask the Lord to give you a stronger love for Him.

Thank the Lord for first loving you.

SONG

Oh, How I Love Jesus

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