Defined by a Greater Love

Scripture: 

Romans 5:7–8 (NIV)

⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV)

Devotional Reflection

Love gets defined subconsciously when we are children. Our mind observes the behaviors of those who we love, those we want to love us back, and those who claim to love us. Through these repeated observations, we begin forming an internal picture of what love looks like. We develop an abstract idea of love without clearly defining it through these behaviors. This idea of love is deeply embedded into our spirit (our inner identity and emotional framework) before we are old enough to reason it out.

Then, when we are old enough to reason through how love has been defined for us, we don’t realize that we need to examine or question that definition, because we are not actually aware that love could be different from how we have come to imagine it. But in our passage, we see God, who is the source of love in its truth, demonstrates exactly what love is by His substitutionary death on the cross before we ever repent.

Love is giving to the other person even when they are withholding from us. Love is doing what is best for the other person even when they are being selfish.

Christ’s love for us is not transactional. He did not withhold His love until we repented of our sin. He loved us at our worst. And if He loved us at our worst to the point of dying so that we might have the opportunity to be rescued from ourselves, how can we ever doubt His love?

When we realize this, holiness takes root in our hearts. The depth of His love for us moves us to not want to dishonor what He did for us on the cross. This is not only resisting sin. To honor His love is to love as He loves as best we can, always striving to love better.

Scripture: 

John 13:34–35 (NIV)

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV)

Prayer

Lord, thank You for loving me at my worst and not waiting for me to deserve it. Help me to see Your love clearly and to let it reshape how I love others. Teach me to love not out of condition, but out of the same grace You have shown me. Amen.