For the Love - Day 46

Today's verse is a continuation from yesterday's - but the idea that John presents here is so astounding that I think it deserves consideration on its own.

This whole chapter is about God's love teaching us and motivating us to love others. 

But this statement on John's part - is so shocking. So often when we're loved and liked - we can fall into a habit of putting on an act. In fact - society rewards us richly for putting on one act after another - so much so that it's rare for us to ever take off our mask - or maybe I should say - all of our masks - because some of wear many at a time.

John tells us that Jesus' love for us is so perfect - so unconditional - so steadfast that His love actually inspires us to take off our masks, and allow Him to just love us as we are - no masks. No fear. It's an act of extreme spiritual courage and maturity to willingly let Jesus' love prompt us to let our masks fall - to allow Him to love us - the real us - the one we protect 24/7 with all sorts of clever mechanisms. In the space of that tremendously freeing and empowering love - we let Jesus love all those bits of us that we defend tooth and nail. The same bits that are behind the thoughts and habits that make walking with Jesus challenging. 

Jesus doesn't just want to do this once or twice. 

This is the sort of relationship He longs to have with us - from now on into all eternity.

It's embracing that love - not once, or twice, but over and over, that allows us to start to really be able to love others in a way that is modeled after Jesus' love for us. Fearlessly.

That's the love Jesus "invented" so to speak - with His work on the cross.

That's the fuel that powers His kingdom.