Love Perfected

I Jn. 4:16b-17

"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world."

Since God is love and abides in me, then I abide in Him and in His love. It can only be by abiding in God's love that love can be perfected because my human love is flawed beyond belief, but when Jesus comes into the life, that all changes. Without Him, I can do nothing including love others. Jn. 15 says I must abide in Him. He must be where I live, breathe, think, and feel. My identity is no longer my own because He has redeemed me. He bought me to free me from sin's hold with the price of His life's blood. By His grace, I now abide in Him. As Jesus abides in the Father so I abide in Jesus and the Father. Because of this union, I now abide in God's love, a love that can be perfected in me. Wow!

As He is so am I! What a statement! It makes me long for heaven where that will be true 100%, where I will not be plagued with my ever present flesh. But I notice that the verse says "in this world".  I have the potential to live out His perfected love in me now. I don't have to wallow around in my weaknesses. Through His grace I can love, live, and abide as He wants me too. What great promises!

Father,

Keep my eyes so fixed upon You that my flesh fades away. Teach me constantly what it means to abide in You and to live in Your love perfected in me.

In Jesus name,

Amen