Thursday 30 May 2013

Thursday Reading: 1 John 4:17-19

Key Verse: 1 John 4:18
18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Devotion:
On that final day of judgement we shall be able to stand firm and stand without fear because of God’s love toward us. How can we say that? Well, God’s love is perfect which means that it is without fault and without end. If you have ever experienced true love then you will know that there are no limits to that love; but you will also know that it is a two way thing. When you do love someone, that love will allow you to overcome fear and to share something very special with the person that you do love.

We tend to think along the lines of being very forward or very open when we think we are in love; so we blunder in and spoil things without knowing. God’s love is not like that because it is perfect so we will never be trapped by His love and we certainly do not have to fear because of that love. If we are blundering in because we think we are in love then we do have much to fear. We need to fear the consequences of our actions. We need to fear the outcome of our uncertainty. We need to fear the reactions of others when they find out the truth that we are still seeking.

None of this would be there if we were truly in love. That love that Christ loves us with is that perfect love and it casts no fear or doubt and is without end. When we are not sure of love we are in torment over what will surface if the truth comes out or if we should happen to find that we love someone else more; but with true love there will not be any of that torment.

When we are told that we will find perfect peace in God it is because of that perfect love that we find peace. If we are not sure of that love then we will have fears, doubts and torment close at hand. If we are sure of that love then the fears will not accompany our relationship and we will find that perfect peace. Christ has demonstrated His love for us and gives us the opportunity to follow up on that love by loving Him back; seeking true love. When we enter into that right relationship with Him, demonstrating that real love, we find peace and have no fear in being called one of His children, a true Christian.

Points to Ponder:
Do you fear love?

Are you chasing something else?