We love, because He first loved us

One of the concepts used in couples therapy, is that we all have a “love tank,”which when it is full enables us to be loving, kind etc. When the love tank is empty however, we need to do things for each other that will re-fill the tank. It seems that the circumstances and happenstances of life, the negative things, drain our tank. In fact this seems to be the default.

Some of the translations of this morning’s quote from 1 John 4:19, start with “We love Him.” But that “Him” it is not in the Greek. And while it may be true that we love Him because He first loved us, the deeper meaning it is that our ability to love at all flows out of the costly initiating love of God (i.e. John 3:16).

So if we want to be truly loving, then the very best way to do this is to stay connected to the One whose very nature is love (1 John 4:8). I am sure that you will agree with me, that there are people out there who are difficult to love! And I was reminded this morning, that I need to let Him love them through me. In other words I need to cooperate with Him so that I can be a channel of his love, rather than allowing them to drain my tank.

Father, thank You that Your love tank is never empty, and that You are ready and willing and able both to love me, and to love through me. Help me to keep short accounts with You, so that more and more I may be a pure channel of Your love to this wicked and hurting world. In Jesus Name Amen