He First Loved Us

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that Jesus had answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which is the first commandment of all?’ And Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like it, namely this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).

Unlike the idols of the world, God doesn’t demand love without first showing it. This is the message of the Bible, “We love Him because He first loved us.” And He did it while we were hostile toward Him… “God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Love begets love. God is love and doesn't want anyone to perish because of their love for sin. This is why the response God requires must begin in the heart with repentance and faith. Then the heart is prepared for God to send His Spirit of Love to write this first commandment… “Not in tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart.” Now we can keep this first commandment from a transformed heart.

The gift of salvation in Christ is the gift of righteousness, curing our hearts so we can love rightly and firstly Who we ought to love. Only then can we experience the joys of everlasting love.

There is no balm for the human heart like the love of Christ. Nor is there anything else that strengthens the hearts to stand for Him in this evil world. The waiting, serving people of God are unashamed to sing... "Unto Him who has loved us and washed us from sin, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen!"

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)