Beloved, God loves us so much,
we must love one another too.
No, we haven’t seen God,
and yet, by loving one another,
God lives in us!
And God’s love perfects ours.
How do we know we’re in God,
and God is in us?
We have His Spirit.
Furthermore, we have seen
(through God’s Word) how
the Father sent His Son
to save us and the world.
If we acknowledge Jesus
as the Son of God,
we can be sure God lives in us
and we in Him. And we can know
and believe in the power of love
God gives.
For God Is Love!
So as we remain in love,
God remains in us
and brings our love
to perfection.
Then we can know for sure
not to worry about judgment day
because we’re living as God wants.
Oh, Beloved, in love
there is nothing to fear!
God’s perfect love
frees us
from any fears we have
of being punished,
tormented, or even
harshly rebuked.
So if you’re still afraid,
pray to experience
ever more fully
the pure, pure love
of God.
© 2016, Mary Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in 1 John 4 with the help of several of the many translations found on Bible Gateway.
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