We know that we live in God and God lives in us. We know this because he gave us his Spirit. 14 We have seen that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world, and this is what we tell people now. 15 Anyone who says, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God,” is a person who lives in God, and God lives in that person. 16 So we know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love. God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4: 13-16

We know that we live in God and God lives in us. We know this because he gave us his Spirit. 14 We have seen that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world, and this is what we tell people now. 15 Anyone who says, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God,” is a person who lives in God, and God lives in that person. 16 So we know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love. God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4: 13-16

John the beloved as I like to call him, understood God as love.  In his writings he always makes reference to God as love.  In his Gospel he says God so loved the world that he sent his son Jesus to save us.  For me Jesus saves us not just by dying on the cross but by also showing us a better way to live.  Verse 7 of this chapter says Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. The passage says we live in God and God lives in us.  We are entwined with God like strands of rope bound together in love and by love. Or we can think of it as love the glue that holds us to God.  There is an abidance (my word) an intimacy with God that only comes from knowing God’s love.  The song says I love you Lord for your mercy never fails me. 

We need to see God’s love as enveloping us and the world.  If God is love and God made the world then all that is in the world should reflect that love.  Yes I know we all don’t. we all don’t even acknowledge that God exists. But as the passage says for those of us who do, we know that the axis on which the  world spins should be love not the selfish dog eat dog ways we prefer to exhibit.  Abiding in God is like in John 15 where Jesus describes believers as  branches of the vine.  Thus it is love that feeds the vine and branches. Its love that bears the fruit. And we know that a mango cant bear ackee. Thus love begets love.

Love of humanity, love of persons we don’t even know, has inspired people to fight in causes where others are treated unfairly.  Human rights and treating all persons with dignity and as if they are of value and have worth is tied up in expressing God’s love for humanity.  We may call it other names but we who are of love understand differently. We who look at life through God’s glasses understand that love should be the foundation of all our relationships.  According to John loving each other should be easy for us because we acknowledge being born of God, and we claim to know God and ultimately love is of God.

I recall a childhood friend and I talking about how wicked people are to each other. The things family members do to each other, we were amazed. We realized that we grew up in the protection of love, where family members  were not taken for granted, where we cared for each other enough to consider the feelings of others before we acted.  

Friends Love is to be our mindset. Love is our attitude, love is our go to emotion when difficult situations arise.  We ask how do, I show love through this.  Loving does not mean compromising our principles. It means showing kindness despite the harsh realities that face us. This is not something to which we say yes and it happens.  Living in God’s love must be cultivated and we must teach our children so they grow in love.

the strength, power and wisdom of God. We know God’s promise of a hand to protect us as walk in The way God directs us We have the assurance that shield of God will defend us and God’s host of God will guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. Where God is, all is well. All will be well, all manner of things will be well.  Amen.

John the beloved as I like to call him, understood God as love.  In his writings he always makes reference to God as love.  In his Gospel he says God so loved the world that he sent his son Jesus to save us.  For me Jesus saves us not just by dying on the cross but by also showing us a better way to live.  Verse 7 of this chapter says Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. The passage says we live in God and God lives in us.  We are entwined with God like strands of rope bound together in love and by love. Or we can think of it as love the glue that holds us to God.  There is an abidance (my word) an intimacy with God that only comes from knowing God’s love.  The song says I love you Lord for your mercy never fails me. 

We need to see God’s love as enveloping us and the world.  If God is love and God made the world then all that is in the world should reflect that love.  Yes I know we all don’t. we all don’t even acknowledge that God exists. But as the passage says for those of us who do, we know that the axis on which the  world spins should be love not the selfish dog eat dog ways we prefer to exhibit.  Abiding in God is like in John 15 where Jesus describes believers as  branches of the vine.  Thus it is love that feeds the vine and branches. Its love that bears the fruit. And we know that a mango cant bear ackee. Thus love begets love.

Love of humanity, love of persons we don’t even know, has inspired people to fight in causes where others are treated unfairly.  Human rights and treating all persons with dignity and as if they are of value and have worth is tied up in expressing God’s love for humanity.  We may call it other names but we who are of love understand differently. We who look at life through God’s glasses understand that love should be the foundation of all our relationships.  According to John loving each other should be easy for us because we acknowledge being born of God, and we claim to know God and ultimately love is of God.

I recall a childhood friend and I talking about how wicked people are to each other. The things family members do to each other, we were amazed. We realized that we grew up in the protection of love, where family members  were not taken for granted, where we cared for each other enough to consider the feelings of others before we acted.  

Friends Love is to be our mindset. Love is our attitude, love is our go to emotion when difficult situations arise.  We ask how do, I show love through this.  Loving does not mean compromising our principles. It means showing kindness despite the harsh realities that face us. This is not something to which we say yes and it happens.  Living in God’s love must be cultivated and we must teach our children so they grow in love.

the strength, power and wisdom of God. We know God’s promise of a hand to protect us as walk in The way God directs us We have the assurance that shield of God will defend us and God’s host of God will guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. Where God is, all is well. All will be well, all manner of things will be well.  Amen.