Sharing from the WORD

1 John 4:7-12: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation of our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

As I was reading this, I was instantly reminded of this past Friday's message that the FROSH & SRS listened to from Ajith Fernando.  In part of his message, he mentioned that he would go out and evangelize and then come back home to recharge through God after a long exhausting day of serving.  What does this recharging that Ajith referred to look like?  As I read through these verses I was convicted once again of how great God's love is for me and how, regardless of any trials, emotions, or challenges that seem to consume my thoughts, my Father's love is constant for me.  His love for us is unconditional and abounds more than we could even fathom.  He sent HIS son for me, so that I am cleansed from my past, present, future sins. We should daily rest upon this truth of love and His grace that He extends for us. Let this feed and recharge your soul every day.  Turn to this fact whenever you feel defeated, distant, unmotivated for life, or simply beaten.

What's our response to this? Should we just remain as simple recipients of this love? I think such a life would be so sad and small.  As we look at the lives of many members of HG1, we can all testify to to the beauty of living a life of loving and serving others as a deep appreciation and gratitude for the Love that God has shown us.  He COMMANDS us to love one another.  Not by our own strength, but knowing that when we love one another, "God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."  As I read this, I grew in my vision for not only myself, but for our HG.  Let us be a family that loves one another unconditionally because God loved us and continues to love us through his faithfulness in all of our lives.  I'm challenged by this truth to serve whether or not I'm given credit, to generously give unto others anything and everything I have to offer, and to love my younger AND older brothers and sisters through prayers.

Brother in Christ,

Ray