Gospel Rooted | Day by Day

 

MONDAY

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Who is God? God is love.

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. – 1 John 4:7-9

There is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear. – 1 John 4:18a

God is love. The Father, Son, and Spirit so perfectly, eternally and harmoniously love, that they are love. To know God and have a relationship with Him is to know love and have a relationship with love. When Jesus walked the earth, He was love manifest, love incarnate, love with skin and bones. He loved perfectly and always loves perfectly. We need not fear the approval of man or look for our heart’s desire to be loved outside of God because perfect eternal love is found in God and God loves us! God is love and He loves you.

Reflect:

Take ten minutes or longer to let this truth settle into your heart. What lies about God melt away as you realize that He is love and loves you?

Respond:

Where are you looking for love outside of God and His plan for you? How can you turn from that and instead enjoy His perfect love and presence? Write down in a journal all that you are hearing and learning from the Lord, and some next steps for how to live it out.

 

TUESDAY

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What has He done? God’s love for us is revealed at the cross.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. – Romans 5:6-11

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13 

God didn’t whisper I love you from heaven, he shouted love from on the cross – The Silver Pages “He Shouted Love.”

Yesterday, we let our hearts listen to the truth that God is love. Today, we see the character of God demonstrated through the truth of the gospel. This God that is love, loves us so deeply that He died for us while we were still sinners. He loves us enough to die for us, not because of our performance, good works, prayers, or tithes. He died for us because He loves us, and He died for us while we were still sinners! He loves us with no strings attached; not for what we have done or can add to Him as He is complete and He died for us while we were still sinners. He doesn’t just declare His love and then walk away; He declares His love and then lays down His life to demonstrate His love. If you ever doubt God’s love for you, look to the cross. The cross shouts that God loves us – He loves me, He loves you!

Reflect:

Take ten minutes or longer to let this truth settle into your heart. Contemplate all the times you have doubted God’s love. Now meditate on the cross. Let the cross speak to your heart’s deep desires for love. The infinite, eternal, perfect Creator God loves you – He died to shout that truth to you!

Respond:

How can you live with more hope today in light of the love of Jesus for you demonstrated on the cross? Ask God if there is anyone in your life who could use the encouragement of this amazing love. Write down in a journal all that you are hearing and learning from the Lord, and some next steps for how to live it out.

 

 

WEDNESDAY

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Who are we? We are His beloved.

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 for 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. – 1 John 4:7-12

Yesterday, we let our hearts listen to the truth that our God demonstrated His love for us on the cross. Today, we are shown that this love changes our identity. We are now called “beloved.” Throughout his writings, John addresses the readers as beloved. We are God’s beloved. Not because we have perfectly or will perfectly love God, but simply because His love for us is so powerful that it MAKES us beloved. He loves us and we are defined by His love. We no longer have to let the relationships of the world define whether or not we are loved, but we get to have the eternal identity of being God’s beloved!

Reflect:

Take ten minutes or longer to let this truth settle into your heart. Let God’s love for you begin to define you. You are loved by One who is love. You are loved by One who laid His life down for you. You are loved by an infinite perfect Creator. You are beloved.

Respond:

Pray and ask God to reveal areas of your life where you are most prone to forget that you are His beloved. What are some ways that you can remind yourself of this true identity? Write down in a journal all that you are hearing and learning from the Lord, and some next steps for how to live it out.

 

THURSDAY

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How do we live? We love Jesus and love others.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:13-21

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40

This week we have meditated on the truth that our God is love. He demonstrated His love for us at the cross; now we know that we are His beloved! These are truths about God, the gospel, and our identity that free us to live a new life. We get to live in light of these truths, with a new power to live out the great commandment to love God and love others. We love because He first loved us. It is by abiding in His love for us and who that love makes us that we are transformed to share the truth and love of Jesus with others!

Reflect:

Take ten minutes or longer to let this truth settle into your heart. What would it look like to receive and respond to God’s love for you on a daily basis? Who is God calling you to love?

Respond:

How is God calling you to trust and obey Him in light of these truths? Is there someone you could share this with, or a friend who could help you? Or perhaps there’s a different next step? If so, follow Jesus, as His truth will set you free!

 

FRIDAY

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Celebration: Rejoice in the Lord!

Memorization:

Once again, we will focus on the passage below as we grow in practicing thanksgiving, contentment, and celebration. It is a beautiful passage, and this is a great opportunity to practice memorization.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:4-9

Today we rejoice in all the truth and promises we learned, received, heard, and saw in Jesus this week! We give thanks for the truth of God, the gospel, our new identity, and the freedom to trust and obey the One who gives life.

Thanksgiving & Adoration:

Take time today to think of all you have to thank God for and thank Him for it. Write these in your journal, pray them out loud, and praise Him for the truths that have transformed you even this week!