Love = Sacrifice

”This is how God showed his love among us….”
1 John 4:9-11

There are many definitions of love floating around. We hear it almost daily in relation to food, weather, and articles of clothing, celebrities, music and more. One of the sad things about how love is portrayed today is that it just comes and goes. We see people falling in and out of love. One day they are “madly in love” with each other, the next they are in a bitter divorce. For many, love is conditional and is based on circumstances rather than a choice.

I am so glad that God sheds light on the true meaning and foundation of love in His Word. When we look at love through God’s eyes we see something that is not only possible, but promised when we look to Him for direction and ability to love like He loves.

In John 15:13, we read, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus not only spoke these words, but He had the example of His own Father who, out of love for His creation sent Jesus to be sacrificed as redemption for us.

Love = Sacrifice

In 1 John 4:9-11, it is clear and concise how God displayed His love, by sending His one and only Son to be sacrificed for our sins.

Rarely do we see or hear a conversation about love where sacrifice is brought into the conversation. Love is almost always depicted or defined as something that makes us feel good, comforted, cared for and safe. And although the large picture of love does ultimately include those things and more, foundationally true love begins with sacrifice. That is why John tells us that love is, “Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”(vs. 10) In this way, we are reminded that true love involves sacrifice. And that is the love that we are called to extend to all those that God places in our lives. We must be willing to sacrifice, or give up, feelings, comfort, safety, or the expectation of anything in return and love unconditionally, because that is the way that Father God loves us.

As we reflect this Advent season, and today on love, take a moment and think about the Love that it took for the God of the universe, the Prime Mover of all that was, is and is to come to will the sacrifice of His one and only Son because of His love for you and for me. John 3:16, proclaims, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Love=Sacrifice=Giving – This is what God did by sending Jesus to be born that very first Christmas morning and what He will again express on that day that we look forward to as He comes again.

Blessings.