Today's Verse: 1 John 4:10

Sunday, April 10, 1960

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love is demonstrated, not just communicated verbally. When the Scriptures tell us that God loves us, they always show God's actions that demonstrate that love. Here, John wants us to realize that God's love goes first. God demonstrates and shares his love with us before we demonstrate our love for him. He doesn't wait till it is safe to love us. He doesn't wait until he will get something in return. Instead, he goes first and defines his love in this way so that we can know that genuine love redeems when all hope seems lost - when we are not worthy, and when we are not ready. God is love, and we know this because of what his love does, had done, and will give to us even before we choose to love him.

My Prayer...

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for loving me so extravagantly. Please help me see the opportunities to love others you place in my path every day. Use me, please, dear Father, to demonstrate your love to someone today and the following days of my life. Help me go first with love in my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

35 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of 1 John 4:10 — This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, April 10, 1960

A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Precious Disciple, I appreciate your desire to follow Me and put Me first in your life. Your efforts at faithfulness do not go unnoticed. Your....."
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of...."
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
"[To the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, Jesus continued:] "Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? ..."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.