Posted by 90 Days of Prayer Day Forty-Nine
1 John 3:1
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
Have you ever met someone for the first time, who was so different in so many ways, you thought “where did this this person come from?” John must have thought the same thing. He gave some serious thought to this love God has for us, and knowing it’s no small thing to be considered children of God, he wants to draw everyone’s attention to it.
The original can be accurately translated; “See what manner of love is given to us…?” “What manner of” or “what kind of” was originally used to mean “from what country?” When reading John’s letter. the Church would’ve understood him to mean “where did this love come from?”
You Come From God
That’s a great truth in itself! Literally, children come from their parents. If God is our father, as the Scriptures tell us He is, then, we come from God! That alone will cure any identity crises. God the Father is our reference point when we begin to search for our own purpose in life.
You’re made in God’s image and likeness. Your way of life; how you think, speak, and behave, should resemble Christ. The love that’s in you, and the way you express it, should make people think “where is this coming from?” The kind of love you’ve been given can come from nowhere else.
Love From Another World
John said it, “what kind of love is this?” The love of the Father is a great truth for all people to ponder, especially believers. But wait, there’s more! Jesus tells his disciples that the Father loves them as much as He does Jesus! Think of this truth; the Father loves all His sons and daughters as much as He loves Christ (See John 15:29 and 17:23).
The world knows nothing about this kind of love that knows no limits. How can they? It comes from another world. Only those who come from God can love this way. You should be so overwhelmed and captivated by God’s love for you, that it flows out to all who come in contact with you. They should be saying “where is this love coming from?
Steadfast Love
God the Father’s love hasn’t changed; He loves you equally as much as he loves Christ. Paul was so captivated that he wrote; “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Continue asking to be deeply rooted and established in His love, ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ truly is.
As you come to know this love that surpasses all knowledge, you will begin to experience the fullness of His love and compassion for you. You too will be asking “where did this come from?” And you’ll Be Encouraged. – JSP