It's All About Love

Today in my New Testament class we discussed the three epistles of John, known in the New Testament as 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. 1 John is one of my all time favorite chapters of scripture for two reasons. The first is that it is all about Living in Truth. For example, "The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth" (1 John 2:8). In my own words, when you are Living in Truth the bad things of the past are over, you don't need to think about or dwell on them, and today the true light shines. If you step out of the dark past, you are walking in light. The best part is that you can step out of that dark past anytime you want and the light is waiting for you.

The second thing I love about 1 John is that it is all about love. I never read this without feeling that some unseen power has risen from the page, wrapped arms around me and is hugging me tightly while whispering reassuring words of comfort in my ear. Verses like, "Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (1 John 4:7). and "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16), and "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18).

If you are every feeling discouraged, down, dismayed, depressed or any other negative feelings read 1 John 1-5 and let the words wrap you in love.