*-1 JOHN 3:11-24*
*KEY VERSE:*
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:16,18).
A man, sick and weighed down by the dreaded HIV scourge and on the throes of death, looked up and prayed to God thus: "O Lord, if truly you love me, prove it now by raising me up from this bed of affliction".
Very gently, Jesus whispered into his ears: "I have proved it already by dying on the cross for your sins.
There is nothing more to prove".
Christ’s vicarious death on the cross of Calvary has remained the highest price anyone could ever pay for the sake of others.
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die" (Romans 5:7).
While we, the entire humanity were yet in our sins, Christ died for us.
He paid the supreme price to redeem lost humanity.
Consequently, redeemed souls are called to love without counting the cost.
We are not to allow anything come between us and our love for God.
We are to love Him with all our heart, soul and mind.
Our love for our neighbours is no less tasking. We are to love them even as we love ourselves.
Does our heart condemn us when we fail to show love? We have been endowed with many blessings to act as a conduit to the needy around us, be it in the church or in our neighbourhood.
We must endeavour to love in word and in deed.
Our endowments are to be held in trust for the benefit of others sacrificially.
We cannot truly claim to be representing Christ where our deeds of love are selective and self-serving.
A true saint of God loves naturally and unreservedly.
*Thought for the day:*
There is no true love without sacrifice.
*Bible Reading in one Year:*
NUMBER 23 - 24