1 John 4:11 TPT
[11] Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life!
As it has always been said, the audience defines the expectation. A man cannot give that which he does not have, and no matter how hard you squeeze, a man will not produce that s/he has not spent time storing up. As we consider the life of John, who is credited with writing this letter, we read at the start these words: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life". That is the power of what the law calls eyewitness testimony, and it is the most powerful evidence that can be given in a court of law. No matter how many times I am asked to recount what I have seen, heard, touched or tasted, the story will always be the same because it is my lived experience. Do I have such strong convictions that nothing of this world can shake? We all need such strong anchors for the times we live in.
If you don't have something to live for, or to aspire to, that may not be a life worth living. If there is no big picture that keeps you inspired to keep pursuing and living right, you may want to check your current pursuits and priorities. John speaks of what he heard, saw and touched. It is not a wonder that these men shook the world at the time, because there was no denying the power, impact and influence of the person called the Word of Life. They had seen and could bear witness to the eternal life, who was with the Father, was manifested to us, and they could now declare it to the world. When you know or hold a thing of value, your life changes, unless you do not know this God. Jesus has been revealed to the world, so that He can also reveal the mind and life of God to the world. I need to have that personal experience of Him so that I can also reach out with what I know and have to other people.
It is that personal experience that helps me know that I am loved beyond any definition the world can give. Long before the dictionary was ever written up, God had defined love from His own perspective. It will not matter what other definitions are available; God's view is what i need for inspiration and daily direction. God loves me, and He has shown and proven this love to me in several ways, with the most important being the life He gave freely, in order to save me from the power and effect of sin. He has given me a new lease of life, changed the direction of my life, and set me on the path of eternity. The template has been set, and I have the perfect example to emulate. What I have received is not that which man can fake. You either have it or you do not. If you have it, it will show up in your interactions and engagements with other people. Loving others becomes the way of life, the norm and the accepted. Do you have Him? If yes, then you can love like Him. God's time of favour is here.
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