DAY 62: 1 JOHN

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18)

Dear Christian,

Because of God’s perfect love, we don’t have to live in fear.

When I was growing up, I had an unhealthy fear of God. I didn’t see Him as a loving God. I would walk around on eggshells with God and out of my fear I learned to be obedient and dutiful when my heart was really far from the Lord.

Walking in fear of punishment left me exhausted, cold, hardened, and disinterested in God. So it was eye opening for me when I attended a church where everyone was warm, vibrant, and alive. The people rejoiced in worship. They sang His praises. They read eagerly from His word. And I was utterly dumbfounded.

Clearly they saw something that I wasn’t seeing. It took me a while to see it and understand it, but what they saw was GRACE. And that made a world of a difference to my faith. Like scales falling from my eyes, I realized that the people worshipped not to earn God’s favor or to appease His anger. They worshipped because a good and gracious God had sacrificially saved them and they were simply rejoicing because of this good news.

How could God leave heaven for His people? How could God take the punishment that His people deserved? How could God die for His people? How could God grant an undeserving people heaven?

The answer is love, love, and love.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)

Love,
Patsy

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Created as part of the Books of the Bible Collection where I meditate on God’s beauty and faithfulness from beginning to end for 66 days from Genesis to Revelation. Each painting will be accompanied by an envelope containing a personal reflection based on the text the painting is based on.

An 8x10 inch original watercolor painting on 100% cold pressed cotton paper, 2023.