JDL - Direction Thirty - We love because He first loved us - importance of order - God first

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 (ESV))

In the beginning our Lord created the heavens and the earth. He created the sun, moon and stars. He set everything in order to mark the seasons. The sun is of particular importance, and our Earth’s setting in the order of the layout of the planets is important as well. Our order and distance from the sun is just right for life. The other planets are either too close or too far away from the sun to sustain any type of life. What a wonderful creator God we have.

As our planet circles around the sun, at one season the north pointing more toward the sun and at other times point away we have our seasons, Spring and Summer, Autumn and Winter. As the earth circles the sun, we have various star systems and constellations to look at, and we also have a large mass called the moon which is circling us. The moon gives us tides and marks times we call months.

Interestingly enough, although we see the moon in its various stages throughout the month, it has no light of its own. The only way we can see the moon is if it is at such an angle that it can reflect the light of the sun so that we can see it. And that is why (and how) we have full moons, quarter moons, half moons and so forth, depending on how much of the sun it is reflecting. And that is why when the earth is in the way of the sun, there is no reflection, and we have no moonshine.

The relationship of the sun and the moon is a good way to understand our relationship with the Son of God. We are like the moon; we have no love of our own. As a matter of fact, as we have said from time to time, we are conceived and born in sin; we daily sin much and are in need of forgiveness; we are born spiritually blind, spiritually dead and enemies of God. We are like the moon when the sun is unable to shine on it.

The only way we are able to love is if and when God first loves us. As God the Son loves us and shines His love on us, then we are able, with His help, to reflect that love on to others. When things get in the way of our relationship with the Son, then our ability to love is blocked. When we get hurt or when we hurt others, when we sin and fail to confess and be given forgiveness, the love from the Son is blocked, and so we are not able to love others, forgive them and live at peace with them.

John speaks words of truth; we love only because Jesus first loves us. How important it is to remove those things which get in the way of our being given the Son’s love so that we might be able to reflect it to others. And when the Son’s love is shining on us, that also means that He is directing us. Jesus is directing us, and that is what we are looking for, a Jesus-directed life.

Think About
What is in the way of Jesus’ love entering your heart? What is in the way of your reflecting and shining that love to others?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and sending Your Son to give His life to pay the price for my sins. Forgive me when I let the devil, the world and my own sinful flesh get in the way of Your love for me and in my loving others as You have first loved me. Help me always to reflect Your love to others, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.