Jeremiah Shijumon Mathen
When we choose to live in love, we reflect God’s character to a hurting world.
The Scripture tells us in 1 John 4:16, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” This awesome truth is the foundation of the Christian faith: love is not just an quality of God; it is His very essence.
A Story of Change
Consider the story of a man who lived entirely for himself. He never prayed, never stepped foot in a church, and felt no connection to God. Evenh then, God’s love never gives up. One afternoon, while walking through the city, he passed a pastor speaking to a crowd. Though he tried to ignore it, he felt a sudden, powerful feeling in his heart—a “still, small voice” urging him to stop and listen.
That single moment of obedience changed his life forever. By opening his heart to the message of grace, he moved from a life of loneliness into a life of prayer and fellowship. As Christians, we are called to be like that pastor. We are meant to be the hands and feet of Jesus, standing in the world to guide lost souls back to the Father.
Choosing the True Light
Imagine standing on a frozen, dark arctic island. In your desperation for warmth, you might be tempted to run toward a forest fire. While the fire offers immediate heat, its nature is to destroy. This is how the world’s temptations work; they offer a temporary pleasure but leave us burned.
God’s love, on the other hand, is like the rising sun. Its warmth melts the ice of our hearts gently, and its light reveals the safe path home. While the “fire” of sin destroys, the “living water” of Christ heals and sustains us.
Our Call to Love
As 1 John 4:7 reminds us, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” When we choose to live in love, we reflect God’s character to a hurting world. Let us be the light that leads others to the healing warmth of Christ.