Bible Reading: 1 John 4:7-12

“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. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfect in us.” (1 John 4:10-12)

Whenever we are called to love one another and serve the church, the principle is always the same. The love we bring cannot be made-up love. It cannot be the love of our own stirring. If we try and falsify love, the test of time will reveal the flaws and inconsistencies of our love. The one and only love that binds the Church of God together is the love of Christ. Only Christ’s love will enable us to love each other, serve each other, and serve the world. 

Christ’s love is not a sentimental love or feeling. It is not abstract, and it is not abstract. Christ’s love is made known in action. That action is Christ leaving His glory, coming down to earth and dying on a cross for our sins. We are totally undeserving and unworthy of such grace. His love atones us 100%. Because of His love, we have been made right with God. Our standing with God has been reconciled. We did not take any part in this; it was all grace. More than that, Christ’s love not only promises a home in heaven, Christ’s love enables us to walk day by day in a relationship with God, learning to grow in the ways of the Truth. Christ sent the Holy Spirit, who is with us at this very moment. 

This was Christ’s love in action. It was revealed in His sacrifice for the sake of His children. Meditate on Christ’s love. Think about just how unworthy we are and just loving our God is. We were dead people without hope. Yet, Christ came to give life to undeserving people like us. No illustration could encapsulate the depth, width and breadth of such love! 

It is this love that urges us to love one another. We do not need to make up such love. If we have experienced Christ’s love, our hearts will naturally want to share it with others. That is what we ought to do. We must love each other; we must love God’s Church with Christ’s love. That love is love in action. It is sacrificial love. This is the essence and basis for ministry. Whenever we serve others in any way or shape, or form, remember we ought to love and sacrifice because Christ has given us the greatest sacrifice ever. 

Only Christ’s work on the cross will keep our zeal burning. Only Christ’s love will get us up again each day to live a life of self-denial and sacrifice for the sake of others. Christ’s love is like a bottomless well. It continues to overflow. As such, only this never-ending spring of life will satisfy and fill us with our needs. Only Christ will sustain us in our ministry to serve Him and those around us to the end. 

Lord, please help me to know Your love. Help me to understand how much You love me. Plant Your love ever so deeper in my heart, and let me share that love with others. Teach me to grow closer to You, and may You guide my life according to Your will alone. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Hans Sangtoki (18) is the coordinator of RE Generation Z. He has a passion for serving his generation and sharing hope in Christ. He also has an interest in classical music and dreams of conducting an orchestra one day.

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