Day 25: Revealed

Read: 1 John 4:7-16

There is a story of a man named Euthyphro to whom Socrates posed a dilemma in an attempt to understand goodness in the eyes of the gods: Is something good because it simply is good, or is it good because the gods say it is?

This question is still asked today of God and supposedly answered with one of two options: On the one hand, perhaps goodness is found in the things themselves and God has no say over what is good and what is bad; on the other, perhaps goodness doesn’t mean much because God can change his mind about what is good at any moment.

Thankfully, God reveals Himself through his Word. Yesterday we looked at God’s justice rooted not in human logic, but in His love towards us that we cannot understand. A question that could stem from that is how He knows what is the loving thing to do. Does He look outside Himself, to some other source, to find out how to love, or does He conveniently change the meaning of love to whatever He is doing?

Neither of these is true. 1 John 4:8 explains that God is love. Unlike the ancient Greek gods, who were whimsical beings made in the image of humans, God defines and determines what love is with His very own unchanging character. The Trinity gives us a picture of this. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have loved each other since before the world was even made. They’ve loved each other perfectly in a way that is sacrificial and honoring through all of history and continue to today.

So, we know that God is loving. How then is His love revealed to us? 1 John 4:9 says, “God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” Stuart Townend’s famous hymn sings, “How great the pain of searing loss.” God suffered through that loss—completely by choice!—while we were still sinners that we might live through Him, and live abundantly. Indeed, “How deep the Father’s love for us.”

“We have come to know and believe the love that God has for us” (1 John 4:16). Let this be an encouragement to praise God for this amazing, undeserved Love that he showed us. Express this love and praise to Him, whether it is through song, dance, work, journaling, or whatever method you choose to use.