Real Love 1 John7-8

This morning I read 1 John 4. I have a feeling I'm going to be studying the books of John for awhile...

1 John 4:7-8 tells us that God is love, and if we don't love one another then we can't really know God.

Verses 20-21 tell us that if we say we love God but have hate for someone else then we are liars and deceiving ourselves for we can not love God and hate someone else at the same time.

I definitely have love present in my life. The love of my sweet precious family are definite givens. We love each other. I love them and they love me. I know what love is. -I am blessed.

Now what is hate...? Is hate merely the absence of love, or is it something deeper, worse than that...?

I can't put a definition on it this morning.... I don't think I have 'hate' for anyone in the world. But if I don't have love for them what do I have...?

There are definitely relationships in my life that are strained and dysfunctional. There are people in my life whom I seek to avoid in order to not have negative thoughts, feelings and emotions about.

Are those relationships separating me from God and keeping me from enjoying the fullness of life that God wants me to have...? Yes, I think so.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I'm praying for a heart transplant this morning. Help me to love with Your Love. Lord my love is so ineffective and so inadequate. Your love is bigger than this whole universe.

You said that people would know us and we would be set apart by our love for one another. Father help me to love more completely. Help me especially with those difficult relationships in my life. I don't want anything separating me from Your Love, my King.

You loved even the most vile of sinners. You died for us all. Thank You, Lord. I praise You, my King. I bow down to you Lord Jesus. I give those difficult relationships to you, my King.

I know you will heal them. I know you will heal me. I love you Lord. And I pray these things in Jesus' Name,

Amen.