But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Love is exciting and powerful, moving and tender. Humans have worked for centuries to describe love in poetry, songs, and stories. Love songs make up the majority of songs written. Movies and plays often center on love and all it entails.
We feel the emotions that come with love, but our feeble attempts to “love” sometimes end in sorrow. Why? Because we cannot be completely successful in love if we don’t allow the Creator of love to work in us. Without the Lord, we continue to be selfish, prideful people. We want what is best for us, often without considering others. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). We love because He loves us.
God loves us so much that he sacrificed His own son to redeem us unto Him. He allowed Jesus to die in our place so that our sins could be forgiven, and we could be set free. We are free to be in relationship with him now, and to live in Heaven with Him for eternity.
However, we don’t like the word, sacrifice. It brings about thoughts of pain, and even death. The Old Testament is full of stories in which sacrifice included physical death. Although we do not sacrifice animals today by shedding their blood, sacrifice is still a picture of what love truly is. We can only love well when we allow God to move us to sacrifice for another. We put selfish wants aside to benefit another. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor. 13:4-5).
With love comes sacrifice. God’s love came at a huge cost. It cost Jesus immensely. But God was willing to sacrifice to show His love to us. Are you willing to sacrifice to show love to others?
Father, teach us how we can love others well by sacrificing our selfish ways for the betterment of those around us. Help us to love like you love.
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