Thursday 08 January 2009

Background

If this letter was a stick of seaside rock and you broke it atany point, then it is more than likely that the message you wouldread is that God is love, so persistent is John's message. Yetapparently, it is only in verse 8 and verse 16 of this chapter thatthe phrase "God is love" appears in the whole Bible!

It is a single simple statement but behind it is so much:

• It provides some sort of purpose for the creation of theuniverse. If God is love then God cannot live in isolation. Loverequires a relationship - someone to love.
• It gives a reasoning for the gift of free will. Love cannot beforced or coerced if it is true love. Love is a gift - and with agift the giver has the choice to give or refrain from giving.
• Love gives meaning to the Cross and to redemption. Verses 9 and10 of today's passage pick this up. Love demands the absolute bestfor another - no matter what the cost. Love was the reason forJesus. As John also puts it in his Gospel - "For God so loved theworld that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes inhim should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

To Ponder

If someone broke you in half, like a stick ofrock, what would they find running through you? Is that what youwant? If not, what can you do in order to make it what youwant?

If someone broke your church in half, like astick of rock, what would they find? Is that what you want? If not,what can you do in order to make it what you want?

Spend some time during the day reflecting on thephrase - "God is love". What does it mean for you?