DAILY DEVOTION: 1 JOHN 4:9

By Stan Brown

I John 4:9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.

Ah yes, the magnificent, unparalleled, awesome, marvelous love of God.  We are created to have fellowship with Him.  When our sin separated us from the Holy God, He responded with the greatest act of love ever contemplated. He sent His one and only Son into the world.  Jesus came into the world to die that we might live, whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  When the Son of God died, we were given the gift of life.  All we need do is accept that gift by faith.  When the Son of God arose from the dead, the promise of life eternal was demonstrated beyond question.
 
God not only says He loves, He demonstrates that love to us.  That love was revealed among us.  The term one and only Son is used only by John in regard to Jesus.  As such it describes the unique love relationship between the Son and the Father that is unmatched in any other relationship ever.  Yet God demonstrated His love for humanity by giving his one and only Son that we might experience life.  Ponder the magnitude of that for a moment.
 
This gift of life, given that we may live through Him, means that we will bask in the presence of His Glory forever and ever.  But it is even more than that.  It is also the opportunity to bask in His presence right now.  As we are made spiritually alive, we may know Him right now.  God sent his one and only Son into the world that our eternal relationship with Him might begin immediately.  It is a life of confidence in the midst of chaos, hope in the midst of hopelessness, victory in the face of death, freedom from the bondage of sin in the midst of slavery to sin, personal fellowship with God as the world wallows in the delusions of the devil.  The world turns to confusion in the midst of hopelessness.  In the midst of a pandemic, confusion, disorder and frustration; we can turn with bold confidence to the God who demonstrated His love through the gift of His One and Only Son.  The One who has given us life has our back (and everything else) both now and forever.
 
1Cor. 2:9        but just as it is written,
            “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
            AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
            ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”