Loving One Another: A Meditative Reading Of 1 John 4:7–21

What if love didn’t start with your effort but with God’s presence moving toward you? This guided, unhurried reading of 1 John 4:7–21 explores a radical claim—God is love—and shows how that truth can steady anxious hearts, transform relationships, and make faith visible in everyday life.

We walk through the text line by line, hearing how the sending of Jesus redefines love as concrete and self-giving. Together we consider why living in love means living in God, how the Spirit anchors our assurance, and what it looks like to “live like Jesus” in the world. The passage dismantles the fear of punishment, replacing it with confidence rooted in perfect love that drives out fear. Then it turns the spotlight on practice: if we say we love God, we must love the people we can see—especially the difficult ones. That challenge is not a burden to earn approval but an overflow of being loved first.

Along the way, we pause for reflection. What is your picture of God? How does that picture shape your capacity to receive love and extend it to others? With a simple invitation to open your hands and welcome a fresh touch of grace, this episode blends scripture, stillness, and honest questions that lead to action. If you’ve been craving a faith that feels less like striving and more like abiding, these words offer both clarity and comfort.

Listen and share with someone who needs courage today. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review to help others find it, and tell us: where do you want perfect love to quiet fear in your life?

Chapters

• 0:05 Opening And Scripture Context
• 0:15 God Is Love And Sends The Son
• 1:16 Living In God And Bold Confidence
• 2:31 Perfect Love Drives Out Fear
• 3:05 Love For God Proven By Loving Others
• 3:35 Blessing And Reflective Questions

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:05

A meditative reading from first John four verses seven through twenty one. The New Living Translation Loving One Another Dear Friends let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love. And all who live in love live in God and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment. And this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, I love God, but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar. For if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command. Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. Peace be with you. In Jesus' name. As you reflect, perhaps ask yourself, what is my picture of God? How does my picture of God frame my understanding of how much God loves me? And what if right now you just open your hands and receive a fresh touch of how much God loves you?