“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
1 John 4:10 (NLT)

As we expose the fake news that is creating so much confusion and conflict in our world, one of the greatest lies is this: Love is just a feeling. Seriously? Really? It’s the lie that has shattered so many relationships and disappointed so many lives. Don’t get me wrong, love produces powerful feelings, but it is so much more than a feeling. We’ve confused attraction and infatuation with love, and it’s resulted in a counterfeit love. A shallow love that bails out whenever the feelings wane. If that’s your definition of love, you will miss out on a love that can last a lifetime; a love that works through the pain and conflicts that are sure to come instead of walking away; a love that weathers the storms of life and puts on display the kind of love the Father has for all His children. God not only loves – He is Love. In this same love chapter of 1 John 4, John tells us in verse 16b, “… God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (NLT).

Have you experienced that kind of love? Are you tired of settling for the lie that love is just a feeling? What does God’s love look like today? How can we experience a love like that in our relationships? For the past few days, we have examined some passages in the Bible that offer us a description of real love – God’s love. We’ve discovered from God’s Word that His love is resolute. His love is intentional. His love is vulnerable. It risks rejection yet still loves despite the response. His love is sacrificial! The bible says, “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10, NLT).

As we reflect on the love of God, we are challenged to make some adjustments in our thinking and behavior so we may experience His love in our own lives and with those we say we love.

Little wonder, the apostle Paul prayed, “…May (we) have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May (we) experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then (we) will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:18-19, NLT).

Don’t finish your days without experiencing real love – God’s love! Open your hearts to Him and let His Spirit fill you with real love!

To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.

Identifying Real Love

Love Is Vulnerable