If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 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. 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. 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. WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.

Living together in a family in close quarters is an adventure. I come from a family of eight and we have five children of our own — so lots of immediate and extended family. And one of the things that happens when we are around people a lot is they rub off on us. We take on their mannerisms and may talk like them or act like them in some ways. Kids will “imprint” behaviors and actions from their parents. Sometimes they don’t even know they are doing this. I have some funny stories in my family of these types of things: one sister of mine got my mom’s pointer finger “wag” when she is really upset. Also, my wife stayed with a friend who talked like a valley girl, and after she would get off the phone with her, I heard lots of “valley-girlish” sentences.

In relationship with God there are some similarities here too. When God sends his Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of Jesus followers, then we become like Jesus. And we learn about God’s love, not just from a “book study” perspective, but from a heart-level, applied-to-life reality. So, the question is: How is God’s love made complete in us? It is from seeking after and “imprinting” the ways of Jesus. His love must become instinctive in our hearts and minds. Our ability to love unconditionally comes from his first love of us. He is THE SOURCE, the originator, the wellspring of our love! And when we learn to love as Jesus loves, when we seek to perfect our love and become more and more like him — we transform in our ability to deal with fear. Fear holds us back and robs us of our confidence in Christ. But God’s love conquers fear! Do you have anxiety about your home life or work or your kids, or trying to have kids? These worries and fears are real! We cannot just push them down and pretend they do not exist. We must deal with them. And when we deal with them with God’s help, we spend more time focusing on his love for us and those around us.

Lord, thank you for teaching me to seek hard after you and your love. To work through my fears and claim victory over them by the power of your Spirit alive in me! The more I dwell with you, the more your love overtakes my sinful thinking and fills me to overflowing! Make me an overflowing instrument of your love today, Father!