We Love Because He First Loved Us

I wanted to share some of my favorite family photos we took back in March. A client connected me with Lissa Anglin, another photographer, who was also adopting from China. She was so kind to meet up with us for some photos and gift our family with her awesome talent. The adoption community is a group that I count myself blessed to be a part of. They are a group of people that I want to be more like. They are steadfast, determined Jesus followers, who have a hope like I have never witnessed before. Many of these families have waited years for the perfect, God ordained moment when He would call them a family. Many of these families sow, plant, tend, and wait day in and day out for the harvest of what God has promised their hearts. Many of these families risk their own comfort to give an orphan a family. They count others as more important than themselves.

Through our journey I have connected with many other adoptive mothers and fathers from all around the country. Strangers have offered up their advice, insight, words of encouragement, time, a phone call, and so on. People that I have never met, and probably never will have showed me sacrificial love. 

Did I mention I am in awe of them! They have become my heroes. One day I hope to be like them. To pass on all that they have given to me.

You know what I realized this is?

This is the "Body of Christ"

These were simply His children, loving on His children.

These people showed me what the Kingdom of God looks like. 

¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:15-21  

 

I'm sure each of us has received love like this at some time. 

We can all show this kind of love to someone. 

We don't have to be super human to love and serve like this. We just have to love a super human God. 

So friends...get out there and love today. Give someone your time, your words of life, your joy, your encouragement.