Dear friends

 Saturday, May 28, 2022 (7:17 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. I’m here because I love You. Thank You for that.

♪Beloved, let us love one another… ♪ (1 John 4:7)

(7:47 a.m.)

One minute I’m thinking of Your love. The next I’m singing of it. And now? Reading. Embracing. Wanting to know so much more.

“Dear friends…” It’s another way of saying “Beloved.” Thank You for the opportunity of looking further into Your Word.

Thank You Lord, for the privilege of learning more about the apostle John. One of The “Sons of Thunder” who also became known as “the disciple Jesus loved” (Illustrated Bible Handbook).

As long as I have been following Your teachings, I still find it exciting when more of the dots in Your story connect for me. Prior to being transformed “into the tender and sensitive person we know through his writings” this very Apostle of Love was once volatile and self-centered.

Thank You, thank You God. There is hope for all of us as we turn to learn more in Your Word. About Your love for us. Ours for You. And for one another.

♪… For love is of God, And everyone that loveth is born of God And knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, For God is love. Beloved, let us love one another♪

Yes! Dear friends, let us truly love one another!

Other renderings of the word beloved paint glorious pictures. “My dear brothers…”, “Most dear brethren…”, “My loved ones…”, “To you whom I love…”

Thank You for the gift of sitting here with You. I want so very much to put into action all that You have for us. Having turned earlier to Jesus’ new commandment (John 13:34) to His “Dear little children” (v.33) I’m asking to take Your Truth with me into this day.

The Life Recovery Bible comment for these two verses spells out our inability to love others, including ourselves, without first receiving Your love. Reminding us that we can’t give what we don’t have. It’s the overflow of Your love that we are to share.