Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

1, 2, &3 John – God and Love

From my writings, you have probably figured out how much I love my Grandpa Lacquement. I love my Grandma Lacquement and Grandma Kellerby, too. Why? Because they loved me so well. They loved God. It was evident, even more so now as I look back as an adult. They loved others like they loved God and like he loves them. Their love grew into concern for anyone having trouble with anything in their lives.

In going through (STILL!) my mom and dad’s stuff because of their passing, I ran across several “thank you” letters, not notes, but letters from others who Grandpa Lacquement had helped over the years. Some were friends and some were distant relatives. I knew he had the “helper and hospitality” gene in him, but I never knew to what extent until I read these precious letters. He led many to Jesus and that declaration and witness was written in the pages, too.

From a very early age, I knew my Grandpa loved me and I loved and adored him. I wanted to please him, honor him, and be with him constantly. If he got up early to feed the stock, I got up just to follow him around. Wherever he went, I begged to go along. Most of the time I was granted permission to go along. I don’t recall very many times that he disciplined me, but he did. It really only took that “look” to make me turn around and get back in line. We read God’s Word together each evening as was the custom. I complained once, but only once, because I got the “look”. We had been to “prayer meeting at church on Wednesday evening”, the custom in my growing up days, so in my child’s mind, we didn’t need to read the Bible again before going to bed and pray again! Did we? Yes we did.

I say all this because of what John tells us about God’s love and our obedience. Someone Who loves you and you love back instills an obedience attitude from the inside out. We want to obey those who love us so much we can’t wrap our heads around it. It is not troublesome to obey Someone who has Your best interest at heart! Is it?

1 John 5, The Message
1-3 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we’ll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.

What do we learn?
–Learn from others who love God with obedient attitudes that come second nature. Grandpa passed on his love for God to his family. He passed it on to me.
–Love God. Obey his commands because of our love for God.
–Know, without a doubt, that God loves us and wants His best for us.
–Our love for Him is shown by our obedience of Him…without complaining.

Dear Heavenly Father, I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. I repent of being impatient, disobedient at times, and a complainer. When I step up and do what you ask immediately out of my love for You, all goes well. I am learning and growing in my love for You which in turn makes my love for others more rich and free of conditions. Thank you, Lord. Continue to help us love like You love. In Jesus Name,

And I’m singing…
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the Voice I hear
Falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses,

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known!

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I hear my mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles singing this morning from heaven above to my heart…and I am comforted.