Loved into Loving

Royal, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a well loved dog.

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19 (NIV) 

Love has amazing transforming power.  I like to hear redemption stories of abused animals rescued from neglect and transformed through patient attention and care from snarling beasts into docile lap dogs.

God's love is like that.  He rescues us.  He comes first towards us in our lost, frightened and withdrawn state and gently woos us to come out of hiding into his light.  Then he gently works with us until we are transformed by his patient love.

"Real love begins steadily to remake the loved one, to recreate the beloved into being more loveable - easier to love.  Re-creation and redemption go hand in hand here.  "We love God because he first loved us."   God had first to love us into being able to love him in return.  This is the continuing, redemptive principle underlying the authentic love of God."  Eugenia Price, Make Love Your Aim, pg.60.

The unconditional, unfailing love of God is always moving toward us to love us into loving.  As we realize more of this love and immerse ourselves in it, we become more able to love the unlovely and perhaps love them into loving.

Dear friends, since God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:11 (NIV)