Today’s Encouragement is 1 John 4:19 NLT We love each other because he loved us first.
He first –
A powerful verse of Truth.
Because we were loved by God First, then and only then, can we love. We must accept, embrace, and believe God loves us… before His Love enables us to love others. He First!
Consider John 3:16 in this light. God so loved the entire world, all of mankind for all of eternity, that He gave Jesus, so that Whoever Believed in Jesus… would never die but have eternal life. It is for the believer, only, that Gods Love provides eternal life! We must First – believe, and then we have eternal life.
In the same way, we must First – believe in God’s forgiveness of our own sinfulness before we have the freedom of heart to forgive others. Consider the parable of forgiveness in Matthew 18, First – the master forgave a debt of millions, then naturally expected the forgiven man to also forgive others their small debts. God’s forgiveness comes First, just as His Love comes to us – First.
Lord help us to First – accept Your immeasurable Love and forgiveness, and then to extend that same love and mercy to others.
Because of Your Love
Paul Baloche
Today’s Encouragement 