“We love because He first loved us”
1 John 4:19 is a well-known scripture. But what does this mean? Can we see examples of it in the Bible?
The Life of Mary
Well, let’s take a look at the life of Mary. The other day when I was in church the preacher shone a new light on the well known Bible story of Martha and Mary. The one where Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and Martha complains that her sister is not helping her. Jesus then said that Mary choose the right thing to do. Often this story is told to give the message that we should not just do works for God but also take time to sit at His feet. And that is definitely true. But this time we took a look closer to the live of Mary.
Mary’s brother Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus, Mary was there and witnessed it all. She saw the works of His hands and believed.
Mary was also the one who poured out expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet. It was worth a year’s salary at that time. Can you imagine? Well some of the disciples couldn’t. They accused her and said it would have been better to sell it and give the money to the poor. But Jesus replied by telling them to leave her alone, she oiled His feet for the day He would be buried.
A heart that listens to God
Have you ever heard of or seen a silent disco? A silent disco is an event at which people dance to music that is transmitted through wireless headphones rather than played over a speaker system. When you enter this room without a headphone, it would probably look very crazy. People dancing, making crazy moves while there seems to be no music playing. It looks crazy because you don’t hear what they hear. This is exactly what happens in Mary’s case. People don’t understand her, maybe they think she does crazy things. But they don’t hear what Mary hears.
Mary has a heart that listens to God. She lives with Jesus daily. She has saw and experienced the things Jesus was capable of. She listened to His education and His stories. She followed Him and was eager to hear what He had to say. She didn’t want to miss out on anything.
A 24/7 Relationship
Believing in God is not a place or an event, it is a 24/7 relationship with Jesus who lives in you. Where others think after the Sunday service it is over, that is where Mary began. People didn’t understand Mary.
Believing God exists and Jesus died for your sins is one thing, living in a relationship with Him on a daily bases is another. Our belief should not feel like a Sunday service obligation and that’s it. We should want to be filled with His word, to haven an intimate relationship with Him and giving His word the highest authority in our lives.
Maybe it will lead us to decisions others won’t understand, but real freedom is living the life God has in store for you. As the Psalm so beautifully describes:
“ One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”
Psalm 27:4
We love because He first loves us, Jesus started a work in Mary’s life, He loved her first, which led to Mary loving Him. Jesus loved us first, you and me, He gave His life for us at the cross, He loved us before we were formed in our mothers womb, so we can return His love. How do you show your love to Him?
Read also: He knows my name
