January 21 | 1 John 3: 11-16

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DAILY READING

1 John 3: 11-16

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REFLECTION

Piece by Piece, Little by Little

By Jen Raber

Early one morning, I noticed all the bare Christmas trees at the curb—fallen soldiers after an exhausting battle. These trees, that served so valiantly, literally laid down their lives for our seasonal joy. We thoughtfully selected them, and placed them prominently in our homes. They brought light and sparkle adorned with remembrances of Christmases past colorfully dangling from their evergreen branches. We gathered around them with family and friends as they gloriously stood guard over our precious treasures. They served us well.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the ultimate sacrificial act of love. This love goes beyond human emotions or feelings; it demonstrates the bold and affectionate divine love that is both of and from God. God is love. He is the embodiment of the true unconditional and eternal nature of love. We know this most definitively by what God did for us on the cross. But, we also see this divine love embodied in the way Jesus boldly and affectionately lived each day—how he daily laid down his life. He lived selflessly, generously—loving those who were neglected, rejected, and forgotten. When we experience this kind of transforming, unending, unfailing love through Jesus, we feel whole, seen, safe, calm, peaceful. We can move throughout our day knowing we are loved and will never be forsaken. Our hearts will be forever changed. And this change is not just meant for us alone: “…the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” (v. 11)

And how should we do this? “By laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (v. 16)

It is easy to think that “laying down our lives” requires one big, heroic gesture, but, as Jesus also demonstrates, we lay down our lives “piece by piece, little by little, in small important ways every day.” (D. Guzik) We daily choose life over death, love over hate, Thy will over my will. Love for our brothers and sisters requires both choice and action. Cain chose hate. He followed his own will over God’s and the result was death. Personally, I know that when I have prioritized my own will, feelings, ego over others' needs and interests, I have put to death relationships because they didn't serve me or because they became inconvenient or difficult. We can often let envy, fear, and selfishness guide our actions. We must lay that down and choose life! Choose love! "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other." (v. 14). Love resuscitates us.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1)

We have been lavished with perfect, unending, unfailing, unconditional divine love! Like our Christmas trees, we must place Jesus prominently in our hearts. Let Jesus be the sparkle and joy in our lives shining brightly. Let us adorn ourselves with remembrances of God’s great grace for all to see. Let us guard our hearts and minds from the evil one. Let us boldly and affectionately lavish love on one another. Let us lay down our lives “piece by piece, little by little” every single day in the name of Jesus.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for lavishing your perfect and divine love on us! We pray that you continue to nourish us with your Holy Spirit, your steadfast Word, and with your living water so that we can grow and serve You and our brothers and sisters in any season of life. All in the name of Jesus. Amen!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JEN RABER

I am so grateful for the loving and welcoming community at UALC. My husband and I, along with our three (now adult) children began attending Lytham Road services around 2009. And before that, well, I’ve just loved the Bible for about as long as I can remember. I am so thrilled to be a part of the Daily Devotional Writing Team.