Love: The Reason We Exist

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." -- John 3:16

Why are we here? Love. That is the reason why we were created: for companionship, to love God and to be loved by Him. Think about it. Jesus, God in human flesh, said,

"For God so loved the world--"

Okay, stop right there. He loves the world. The entire world! Yes, that does include us, His chosen children, but that also includes everyone else. Everyone! Think of all the faces you see every day in your workplace, on your college campus, even in your family. He loves us ALL.

Yes, He takes especially good care of His children, those who believe in the Name of Jesus, just like a father or mother will show preference to their own children here on earth. I mean, would you love someone else's kid more than your own son or daughter? Of course not! You can love other people's children, sure, but your attention goes primarily to your own flesh and blood. In Matthew 12:49-50, Jesus tells us who His family are:

"Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

Awesome, right? We all have the opportunity to be a part of God's famliy! And He wants a big family--the more, the merrier! But if we, His children, do not grasp in our own hearts that God loves the classmate who cusses, the uncle with an alcohol addiction, and the coworkers who gossip about who they've slept with, we will be tempted to be bitter and judgmental. After all, they too can become a part of God's famliy.

I have to warn myself sometimes not to become like a spoiled adopted child who forgets where she came from, to the point of being cold and unwelcoming to another adopted brother or sister entering the famliy. God loves the WHOLE world. That's everybody.

Are we going to be vessels of God's love for the world? The WHOLE world?

"We love Him because He first loved us." -- 1 John 4:19

We didn't earn God's love. We didn't choose in our sinful nature to love Him. He loved us first. He gives His love freely to those who believe. And He longs to give it to the rest of the world too.

Love. It's the reason we exist.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -- Romans 5:8