“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
John knew this because of what he witnessed as an apostle and follower of Jesus Christ.
He walked and talked with Him. Experienced the healing and the teaching. Sat at His feet and lived in His presence.
But, like all of us, his knowledge had to be born of faith, given by the Holy Ghost.
We do not walk with Jesus in the same way as John.
But we can walk with Him in following the path He provided and inviting His presence into our lives.
We have not talked with Him in the same way as John.
But He does talk with us in scripture and inspiration.
We did not witness with our eyes the healing miracles He performed while on earth.
But we are witnesses of His healing power in our own lives.
And we, too, can know that He is love.
In the mercy and the justice.
In the encouraging and the teaching.
In the successes and the trying that seems to never end.
In the gifts and in the weakness.
In the answers that come and in the periods of waiting when they don’t.
All of it is love.
A love that knows the depths, but lifts us up.
A love that sees the worst, but patiently teaches a better way.
A love that wants more for us than we even know to want.
A love that reaches as wide as eternity, but enters intimately into individual lives.
A love born of sacrifice and condescension. A love that was willing to descend below all things in order to bring us back.
To redeem and to save and to exalt us.
A love that knows perfectly who we are and what we can become.
And knows exactly what to do to bring about that awesome potential.
Evidenced by a God come to earth as a baby.
And by a Son fulfilling all that was required to save.
A manger and a cross.
A life of humble service, of submission to ignorance, mockery, doubt and chastisement by those He created.
And an empty tomb.
Love witnessed in a person and a life and a death.
Love that is ours because we are His.
And He is love.
