October 25, 2026
John reminds believers that love comes from God because love is part of His very nature. God's love was revealed when He sent His Son into the world so that we might have life through Him. We are not the ones who initiated this relationship. God loved us first, and His love becomes the foundation for our love toward one another. Although no one has seen God, His presence becomes visible through the love His people demonstrate.
Devotional
We spend a lot of time talking about what it means to love God. We encourage people to pray, worship, read Scripture, and live faithfully. Those things matter, but John reminds us of something we need to hear before we start making another list of things we should be doing. Our relationship with God didn't begin because we loved Him. It began because He loved us.
That makes an enormous difference in how we understand faith.
God didn't look at humanity and decide we had finally become worthy of His attention. He didn't wait until we had corrected our mistakes, developed better habits, or figured out how to live righteous lives. He loved us while we were still struggling with sin, selfishness, and everything else that separates us from Him. He demonstrated that love by sending Jesus Christ to make our salvation possible.
Wesley described the grace that reaches us before we're even aware of our need for God as prevenient grace. It's the love of God already working in our lives, inviting us toward a relationship we could never establish through our own efforts.
And once we begin to understand how generously God has loved us, something changes about the way we see other people.
We become less interested in deciding who deserves compassion. We begin recognizing that everyone around us needs the same grace we've received. The person who has made terrible mistakes, the neighbor who never attends church, and the family member who has disappointed us are all people God loves.
John makes an interesting observation. No one has seen God, but when we love one another, His love is made complete in us. People may not be able to see God with their eyes, but they can experience something of His character through the kindness, patience, forgiveness, and compassion of His people.
That's an important responsibility, but it's also a wonderful privilege. God allows us to become visible expressions of His love in a world that desperately needs it.
We don't have to create that love ourselves. We simply need to remain open to the grace of the One who loved us first.
Action
Think about someone who may be having difficulty believing that God loves them. Find a simple way to offer encouragement today, whether through a phone call, a thoughtful message, or an unexpected act of kindness. Let your response communicate that God's love isn't something they have to earn.
Prayer
Gracious Father, thank You for loving me long before I understood how much I needed You. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ and offering forgiveness through Your mercy rather than my accomplishments. Help me receive Your love with gratitude and extend that same grace to the people around me. When I'm tempted to judge others, remind me how patiently You have loved me. Let someone experience Your goodness through my words and actions today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Thought for the Day
God's love for us comes first. Our love for others is the response.
We don't have to earn God's love before we can receive it. He loved us first, and His grace teaches us to love others with that same generosity. Today's devotional reminds us that when we love one another, people can see something of God through us.
