Journal Entry // December 4, 2021
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1 ESV
There is a lot going on in this short verse. I am always amazed at the depth of the word of God. I can read this verse every year during my reading and get the overall point and have it impact me. Then I can come to it this morning and dig deeper into it and get even more. I’m sure if I actually got into commentaries and the customs of the time to see more context, there would be more still. This morning though, I am interested in the “kind of love” the Father has given.
It is significant that John is asking us to evaluate the type of love that the Father has given. I know I have a warped sense of love and tend to make it revolve around myself in a lot of ways. I am a bit selfish in my point of view about love. I want to judge and evaluate others love for me based on actions or words or lack thereof. I never really think about my role in the love equation. How am I engaging with that person to let them love me? How am I loving them?
John takes my self-centeredness and moves it to the extreme. John encourages me to evaluate and examine the love of God for me. This is personal and self-centered. He wants me to truly see the depth of love God has for me because it is significant. It is life changing. The Father’s love for me is such that I am a child of God. I’m not just called a child of God in name only. I am truly a child of God. The Father loves me so much, that he has brought me into his family as his son.
I don’t truly understand the importance of this. Look at the depth of love when you bring someone into your life. You are committing and dedicating your whole self to care and provide for this person… daily. Not just daily, but moment by moment. When we bring someone into our family we will love them deeply and intimately with intentionally. Full engagement in their lives.
This is how God loves me, as a son. Everything he does is for my good because he loves me. The joys and excitement are there for my good. The difficulties and hardships are there for my good. Everything God brings into my life is for my good because he loves me. I may not understand exactly the reason it’s necessary, but I can rest in the simple fact that my Father loves me and has designed this path.
My sonship will reflect the life of Christ in a lot of ways. Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Jesus was tempted. Jesus enjoyed the fellowship of brothers and friends. Jesus experienced love through the lens of faith. And so I will go through this journey fully loved by my Father. That will never be in doubt. My Father. This is the reason Jesus taught us to pray starting with this phrase. It is so significant in my life.
I am a child of the living and true God. He loves me fully and completely. No matter my age, location, status, or past – God is my loving Father. I can always draw near to my Father and he will always embrace me with his loving, comforting, healing arms. He is my life and true love.