In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Walking in love is walking in the light; hatred keeps you in darkness, stumbling aimlessly.

MY THOUGHTS: I feel like most of the world is stumbling around aimlessly. We are now in a time when so many are saying, “Love is hate and hate is love.”

That is mostly Because in this world we are not working with an accurate definition of love. Paul the Apostle gives us God’s definition in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails.

If it’s not patient, it’s not love.

If it’s not kind, it’s not love.

If it is jealous because it feels insecure in itself, it’s not love.

If it calls attention to itself, it’s not love.

If it is based in self promotion or protection, it’s not love.

If it steals honor from others, it is not love.

If it is about you, it’s not love.

If it is based in an angry attitude, it’s not love.

If it calls up the negative past, it’s not love.

If it is attracted to or motivated by sinful behavior or thinking, it’s not love.

If it denies the truth of Scripture to have its own way, it’s not love.

If it protects self over the needs of the one supposedly loved, it’s not love.

If it doesn’t trust the person to be who they are and can’t love them as they are, it’s not love.

If it doesn’t keep God’s future plans in mind, it’s not love.

If it gives up, it’s not love.

If it’s not all those things together, it’s not love.