[image: Purpose Driven Connection - Daily Devotional] April 29, 2009
We Love Because God Loves
Us<http://links.purposedriven.com/u.d?cYGt4a2f4USr6kJdO=73>
by Rick Warren
In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages
that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage: "We
love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19 NIV).
The reason God wants us to love is because He is love, and He created us
to be like him—to love. The only reason we're able to love is because God
loves us: "Love comes from God...because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8 NIV).
We were created in God's image to do two things on earth: Learn to love God,
and learn to love other people. Life is all about love.
But love all started with God. He loved us first and that gives us the
ability to love others (1 John 4:19). The only reason you can love God or
love anybody else is because God first loved you. And He showed that love by
sending Jesus Christ to earth to die for you. He showed that love by
creating you. He showed that love by everything you have in life; it's all a
gift of God's love.
In order to love others and to become great lovers, we first need to
understand and feel how much God loves us. We don't want to just talk about
love, read about love, or discuss love; we need to experience the love of
God.
We need to reach a day when we finally, fully understand how God loves us
completely and unconditionally. We need to become secure in the truth that
we cannot make God stop loving us.
Once we're secure inside God's unconditional love, we'll start cutting
people a lot of slack. We won't be as angry as we've been. We'll be more
patient. We'll be more forgiving. We'll be more merciful. We'll give others
grace.
But you cannot give to others what you have not received yourself, and so my
hope is that, as you learn how much God loves you, you'll also let Him heal
your heart so that His love can flow freely through you. It's impossible to
love others until you really feel loved yourself.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest,
Calif., one of America’s largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick
is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The
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'Unless you change what you do, you will always have what you've got.'
- Jim Rohn
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