He Loved Us First

The apostle John had walked with Jesus, watched Him die, and seen the empty tomb. By the time he wrote this letter, John had spent decades thinking about one thing above all else: the love of God. Here, in just two verses, he gets to the very heart of it.

John says love was "made manifest", which simply means it was shown. It was put on display for the whole world to see. And how did God show it? He sent His Son, not an angel, not a prophet, not a written message. He sent His only Son into our broken world so that we could have life through Him. Then John says something that stops us in our tracks, he reminds us that we did not love God first. We were not seeking Him, we were not reaching up toward heaven, trying to earn His favor. He loved us while we were still far from Him, that is what makes this love so different from anything we experience between people.

The word "propitiation" is a big word with a simple meaning, it means Jesus took the punishment our sins deserved. God's justice required a payment, and Jesus made it. The cross was not just a symbol of love, it was the moment love and justice met in one place.

So what does this mean for today? It means you do not have to earn what has already been freely given. If you are carrying guilt or shame, remember that Jesus already paid for it. If you feel far from God, remember that He made the first move toward you.

Rest in that today. You are loved, not because of what you have done, but because of who He is.