See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!
Anyone can say the words “I love you.” Saying these words is not often difficult for most people. What takes much more effort and energy is showing someone that we love them. Indeed, our actions demonstrate that we love the people around us. There is no greater example of this truth than the love of God. You see, because of His great, never-ending love for us, He stopped at nothing to rescue us when we were lost in sin and separated from Him, destined for a life apart from Him forever. Because of His love, He sent His Son, Jesus, at just the right time to rescue us.
John wrote about God’s great love in the book of 1st John. Remember, John was one of Jesus’ disciples, and as a result, he saw firsthand the extent of God’s great love for His people through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Knowing this, we should pay great attention as we read John’s words in John 3. He wrote, “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!” (verse 1). The New International Version says it this way, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” “Lavish” is the perfect word to describe God’s great love toward us. The Oxford Dictionary says that “lavish” means to “bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on.” Indeed, God’s great love has been generously bestowed on us in extravagant quantities, and His love is demonstrated as He calls us His children if we have placed our faith in Him. We have an opportunity to be called children of God because Jesus endured the brutal death of a criminal on the cross. The fact that God offered us restoration and reconciliation and called us His children is an act of great love that we should never take for granted. Love is the reason He stopped at nothing to rescue you.
Maybe the love you have experienced on earth has let you down. Maybe you have experienced wonderful examples of love here on this earth. Whatever examples of love you have experienced here on this earth, nothing compares to God’s love for you. There is no greater love than His never-stopping, never-giving-up love for you. May you walk through this day and every day knowing how deeply you are loved by God. His love changes everything.
Moving toward action
Spend a few minutes in prayer today, talking to your God who loves you so much. Thank Him for His extravagant love for you that stopped at nothing to save you. As you pray, tell Him how much you love Him, too. After all, the only appropriate response to God’s great love is saying, “I love you, too.”
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
“God, as I remember Your great love for me, I love You for…”
Going deeper
1See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
4Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.
7Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[1] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers[2] does not belong to God.
Love One Another
11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters,[3] if the world hates you.
14If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers,[4] it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15Anyone who hates another brother or sister[5] is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.
16We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[6] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
18Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.
21Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
23And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
Translation notes (6)
- 3:9 Greek because his seed.
- 3:10 Greek does not love his brother.
- 3:13 Greek brothers.
- 3:14 Greek the brothers; similarly in 3:16.
- 3:15 Greek hates his brother.
- 3:17 Greek sees his brother.
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