Two of the greatest needs we have are to love and be loved. It is much easier to give love if we have first received it. Receiving love increases our capacity to give it. Before we ever loved God, God loved us first. The great God who has the Universe to rule stepped down into our world and demonstrated His love for each and every one of us. He did this supremely in the sending of His Son-Jesus Christ, who died in our place at Calvary. If we want to know what love is, let us look at the Cross. If we want to receive that love, we must go to the Cross, where our Savior’s arms are open wide. See the lavish and outrageous love of God! Let this love saturate our souls. Remember, God loved us
first! How does it encourage us to know that Jesus loves us; He became one of us to identify with us and to help us. What difference does knowing that He 'walked in our shoes' make during this season in our lives? Let us receive that love today! Then give the same love to others. — 1 John 4:19