How Love’s Made Complete

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. – (1 John 4:11-12, NIV)

This is how much God loved us, dear friends! So we also must love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us. If we love each other, God’s love has reached its goal – it is made perfect in us. – (1 John 4:11-12, ERV)

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and His love becomes complete in us – perfect love! – (1 John 4:11-12, MSG)

God’s overwhelming, never-ending, sacrificial love demonstrates to us, repeatedly, what love ought to be. Though we have not seen the face of God yet, we can clearly see His love all around us. Our charge is to love like Him so that His love may be made complete in us and give those around us the opportunity to come to know the same. Through loving God and loving people, God works in and through us to more clearly make His love known. We are imperfect vessels, yet we are perfectly loved and can extend the same to those around us as we trust and rely on God to lead us. Today, my Viking is taking the day off to accompany me to an appointment with a specialist. He did not have to, yet I am comforted in knowing he will be beside me as we discover possible next steps and a plan for continued healing and care. His loving sacrifice for me is a glimpse of just how much God loves us and is made tangible through my spouse. May we ever seek the Lord, who lives in us, to lead us in His perfect love so that we may clearly share the goodness of God.  

God’s love is perfect,

His goodness made known;

Evident through those,

Who seek to be shown.

Shown goodness and grace,

Loving sacrifice;

A love so much more,

Than just being nice.

The love of God sees,

And then reaches out;

Both actions and words,

That of goodness shout.

O Lord, please lead us,

To love as You do;

Never withholding,

The light that is You.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love is perfect. Thank You that You show us again and again, the goodness and fullness of Your love through those around us. Forgive us for the times that our words and actions did not clearly reflect Your heart to those around us. Teach us to listen well, so that we might make the most of every opportunity to love as we are loved by You. Show us how to love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank and praise You for the countless ways that You make Your love known and seek You to lead us so Your love is shown. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Came to Save

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. – (John 3:17, NIV) 

God sent His Son into the world. He did not send Him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through Him. – (John 3:17, ERV) 

God did not send His Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it! – (John 3:17, TPT) 

I am so thankful that Jesus came to save, rather than to condemn. Though our sins warrant condemnation, His mercy and grace extend love and offer new life instead. In the same way that we have been given forgiveness and grace, we are meant to go forth and do likewise. We have been rescued from the darkness we were bound in, and as God’s own, we are meant to be bearers of light who shine His love everywhere we go. Our lives ought to demonstrate what it is to walk in redemption – full of gratitude and grace, as we recognize that there is nothing, we could ever do to repay the goodness we have been shown through Christ’s love. This revelation of God’s goodness compels us to navigate each day in the fullness of His love. May we go forth in God’s love and love others in the same way that we are loved by God. 

God sent His own Son, 

But not to condemn; 

Instead to set free, 

Grace that overwhelms. 

Though judgment’s deserved, 

He gives us His grace; 

Forgiven and free, 

As we seek His face. 

May we, in freedom, 

Go forth, do the same; 

Love as we are loved, 

Honor Jesus’ Name. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son, not to condemn us, but to save us. Thank You Jesus, for showing us what sacrificial love is. Thank You for loving us to life, so that we might go forth and love others. Forgive us for the places that we judge or condemn rather than seek to love. Teach us to trust You more, for You provide wisdom, strength and grace to know when to stay and when to walk away from situations where we should or should not remain. Show us how to love those around us best, so that Your heart may be made known clearly through love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your overwhelming sacrifice to save us. Amen. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

To Him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. – Psalm 136:4

Love Reaches Out

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. – (1 John 4:10, NIV)

True love is God’s love for us, not our love for God. He sent His Son as the way to take away our sins. – (1 John 4:10, ERV)

This is love: He loved us long before we loved Him. It was His love, not ours. He proved it by sending His Son to be a pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. – (1 John 4:10, TPT)

 

Love is sacrificial and does not love because it receives. Love chooses to give because it is the right thing to do. God has shown us what it is to love, as He loved us while we were far from loving Him. His love covers us and changes our hearts, leading us to Him who is love, so that we too, might love one another. To love is a daily decision to choose, not an emotion based on how we feel. Extending God’s heart to the world is our opportunity and call to love as we are commanded to do. This is a far easier charge with those who love us back. However, we are still called to love those who do not. It does not mean we are to be unwise and take abuse or allow boundaries to be violated, but it does mean that we must continue to extend kindness and grace, even to those who do not seem to understand either in return. We never know the impact that our choice to love will have, yet we do know that each decision to love plants a seed that another can water, and still another can sow. God knows, and this is why He calls us to keep loving as He loves us. May we go forth and choose to love, just as God first loved us.

 

After eluding to the pending change, today is the official day that Mom will be moving into her new place, back in Wenatchee. She still has her home, but for now, will be in a smaller, more manageable space where help is available as needed, while she continues to rebuild and gain strength. Already, there have been joyful celebrations, as Megan and Scott made the journey with her back to Wenatchee from Albany, Oregon, and have spent time since Thursday afternoon in Mom’s home. What a difference for Mom to be back in her home and able to walk around freely with her cane, rather than using a walker with someone following closely behind to be sure she was steady on her feet. Mom’s joy has returned, as it was apparent that she desperately needed to be back home, in her own community. Mark and I are very much looking forward to driving over tomorrow to spend the day with her and check out her new place, and take her wherever her heart desires to go. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to the sacrificial love that my sister and her family have made over the last six months, as they opened their home and hearts to walk with mom through the most recent leg of her healing journey. We all are excited to see the progress she will make now, as she reenters life back in her own community. Mom loved the support of family that she has had since her stroke, but we all knew that she was at a point where she needed to be reengaged with the community she loves and has invested so deeply in. May love be what leads every person who interacts with Mom as she continues to move forward on this healing journey.

 

To love is a choice,

It reaches out first;

Gives kindness always,

In best and in worst.

For just as God loves,

And shows love to us;

We must also love,

Choose extend kindness.

True love gives the best,

Prefers each other;

No matter what comes,

Love one another.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You first loved us and made the way for us to love You and love one another. Thank You that You are love. Forgive us for the times that we do not extend the love that we are called to give. Teach us to trust and rely on You more, so that we would love big, even when what comes back to us is less than loving. Show us how to love those around us in the ways that it is needed most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love each other as You love us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

The Strength of His Love

For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. – (Psalm 103:11, NLT)

His love for His followers is as high above us a heaven is above the earth. – (Psalm 103:11, ERV)

As high as the heaven is over the earth, so strong is His love for those who fear Him. – (Psalm 103:11, MSG)

 

God’s love never fails. He is faithful to demonstrate His love to those who faithfully follow Him. Our human minds cannot conceive the height nor depth of a sacrificial love so great that it will not fail. As we seek the Lord and follow after Him, we gain deeper insight and understanding of His love for us, individually. It is from that very space of being loved beyond what we can fully grasp, that we can go forth and love others well. May we ever pursue the Lord with all of our hearts, and share well what He has given to us with others.

 

For the love of God,

Has strength that won’t quit;

For all who believe,

Shall come to know it.

There’s no height nor depth,

That we can conceive;

As great as His love,

For those who believe.

So, ever seek Him,

And trust in His Name;

For His love won’t fail,

This truth we proclaim.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your unfailing love towards us is beyond our comprehension. Thank You that as we seek You and trust in You, You begin to reveal more and more of who You are and how You love to us, so that we might love like You. Forgive us for not seeking or embracing You, as Your love covers and cleanses all. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would ever pursue a deeper understanding of who You are as we place our trust in You. Show us how to love well, just as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your unfailing love, and go forth to love as we are loved by You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

To Remain in His Love

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. – (John 15:9)

 

The love of the Father and of the Son, extend beyond human understanding. We may grasp but a glimmer of their love in how we love our spouses, children, families and friends, but it does not even begin to scratch the surface of the sort of sacrificial and all-encompassing love that God the Father, and Jesus, His only Son, have for us, their created. While we were yet sinners, they loved – loved to the point that a plan was put into place so that a way could be made for each of us to have the option of eternal life. If we choose to invite Christ to be the Lord of our lives, and remain in the love that He freely gives, both our present and future are secure in Him. Though troubles and trials will come, He will remain. His love will never leave us nor forsake us, and His promises are provided forever. What abundant and complete hope we hold when we remain in His love.

 

Faith, hope and love,

the truth that remains;

gifts of His grace,

to wash all our stains.

He asks us to stay,

remain in His love;

embrace the gift,

He grants from above.

May we hold fast,

to all that He gives;

let our hearts praise,

the reason we live.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You loved so much that You sent Your one and only Son to make the way for us to spend eternity with You. Jesus, thank You for loving us with Your very life, while we were yet Your enemies. Thank You that when we give our lives to You, You call us friends, and welcome us into Your family. Thank You that our hope is held for all time in the blessing of Your lavish love for us. Forgive us for not receiving that which You freely give, or for running from that which You ask us to do. Jesus, grant us the courage to remain in Your love, so that we may be bold before all men. May many come to know You as their Lord and Savior, and receive Your love for themselves. Be glorified as we remain in Your love today. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things.

Who, O God, is like You? – Psalm 71:19

Give Without Getting

image by Jesus is Lord

In quiet and truth,

as we lead life well;

others will notice,

our actions will tell.

Minding our business,

working with our hands;

we’ll earn the respect,

following His plans.

Depend on no one,

for a free handout.

Work as unto Him,

and not one shall doubt.

For where there is trust,

open hearts are too;

that is our purpose,

to love as You do.

Give without getting.

Expect nothing back.

Selfless is His love;

in Him, there’s no lack.

(Responding to I Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love for us is a selfless and sacrificial love.  You gave up Your heavenly throne to come to earth and model a life of love, and then freely gave that life away in our place, though we deserved it not.  Forgive us for our foolish expectations for some sort of return from anyone at anytime.  Help us instead to fix our eyes and hearts on You, and that which we have already received by Your Spirit.  Thank You that all that we need has already been provided; for great is Your faithfulness indeed!  Teach us to work hard and live well, so that our lives are not a distraction, but rather are an attraction, to Your great love and light.  May many come to know You and Your love, according to what You are asking.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present