1 John 4:19 (NIV)
We love because he first loved us.
He First Loved Us
This verse cuts to the very core of Christian identity: we don’t initiate love, we respond to it. God made the first move. His love is the starting point, the blueprint, and the fuel for everything we do. Before we ever got it right, before we even cared, He loved us first.
As men, love can be complicated. We often feel the need to earn it or prove ourselves worthy of it. But God doesn’t love us based on performance. His love is not a reward, it’s a foundation. And when we begin to understand that, it reshapes how we love our families, our friends, even our enemies.
So if you’re struggling to love someone today, or to feel loved yourself, remember this: you’re not the source. You’re the reflection. Let God’s love for you be the well you draw from.
1 John 4:19 (NIV)
Let Me Love Like You Do
For the man who struggles to love others well—this prayer roots love in God’s love, not emotion or effort.
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NLT- Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NIV- Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
AMP- Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission
NKJV- Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved
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