Scripture Reading
1 John 4:16
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Reflection
John doesn't simply say that we should know God's love intellectually. He says we are to know and rely on it. There is a difference between believing God loves you and learning to rest in that love.
Many of us base God's love on our circumstances. When life is going well, we assume God is near. When life is difficult, we wonder if He has forgotten us. But God's love is not measured by changing circumstances. It was settled once and for all at the cross.
Today, ask yourself whether your confidence rests in God's unchanging character or in the changing events of your life.
Reflection Questions
Do I truly believe God loves me, even when life is difficult?
What circumstances tend to make me question His love?
Am I relying on God's promises or on my emotions?
How does the cross reassure me that God loves me?
Prayer
Father, thank You that Your love is not dependent on my circumstances or my performance. Help me move beyond simply knowing about Your love to relying on it every day. Teach me to rest in the confidence that You have already demonstrated Your love through Jesus Christ. Amen.