1 John 4:15-19 – “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.” NASB

In these few verses, there are several life-changing truths that I want to highlight and discuss briefly:

1. The Way to God – – “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
2. God Is Love – – “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
3. As He “is,” So Are We IN THIS WORLD – – “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.”
4. Love Defeats Fear – – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
5. God’s Love Draws Us to Him – – “We love because He loved us.”  The New King James says it better – “We love Him because He first loved us.”

Today, we will look at the last of the subjects, number five – “God’s Love Draws Us to Him.”

The simple and powerful truth is that we love God because He initiated Love!  He extended Himself to us, which is Love, and as His Life touched us, our hearts were melted even more powerfully than when a man falls madly in love with a maiden.  We are consumed with Him through Love!  As surely as a man will desire to spend every waking moment with the object of his love, naturally, we will desire to be in the presence of God spiritually because of LOVE!

His Love is like a magnet to metal. It compels us to move toward Him.  It creates a desire for cleansing, purifying, relationships, communion, and fellowship.  We want to HEAR Him and be NEAR Him.  He initiated the action, and the work of Jesus on the Cross epitomizes the Love of God for mankind.  

When you consider that God considered you worth the Blood of Jesus, you should instantly realize just how valuable you are to Him and to what length He was and is willing to go to bring you into the “Family of God.”  If He is willing to bring you in, do you not also think He is willing to go to that length to “keep you near?”

You can reject Him and trample His Blood underfoot, but you can never escape His Love!  You can blaspheme and incur His wrath, but you will never escape His Love!  Everything He does is with the ultimate end, bringing you to repentance and into the Family of God.  That is His desire that “All men be saved.”  Of course, we know that all will not, but that is not because God does not desire that they be but because they refuse to receive His sacrifice and drink of His Love!

So, before you do anything else, turn to the Lord and allow the Love of God to flow over you and into you right now.  Allow Him to wrap His arms around you, bring you into His bosom, and just hold you in His loving embrace.  As you sit, stand, or lie in His presence, know that YOU ARE LOVED!  You will find that you are drawn to Him like a moth to a flame as you taste and experience His love for you!

May the Lord be with you as you go through your day, and I hope these five truths have positively impacted your life!  Blessings!