1 John 4:4-18

4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one
who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the
world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens
to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever
is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth
and the spirit of falsehood. 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love
comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No
one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is
made complete in us. 13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he
has given us of his Spirit.
16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever
lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete
among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in
this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out
fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made
perfect in love.

Meditation
1. Read the passage aloud slowly for a few times. Pause at the word “love” each
time coming upon it. Consider these love gifts from God (love, relationship,
God’s own life, the Spirit).
2. Draw a little picture of me receiving God’s love gifts. How do I feel?
3. Pray: Thank God for pouring such gifts to me. Tell God my desire to be like
an absorber of His love and to be saturated with His love so it overflows in
me and pours out to others.

Personal Note:
Perfect love drives out fear.  When I have fears about the future, my abilities, etc, my love for others is incomplete.  When I am saturated with God's love, all my fears are gone as I am confident of God's providence and protection.  As a result, I can love others sincerely.

John 14:15-17

15”If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of
truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Meditation
1. This passage is about the Holy Spirit, ask Him to guide in a prayerful reading
of it. Make the reading a prayer in itself.
2. The Holy Spirit is the most neglected personhood of God. Yet Jesus promises
to leave His disciples (and us as his followers) with this important Friend.
What does it mean to have the Holy Spirit in me and guiding me throughout
my day, as this passage says: “But you know him, for he lives with you
and will be in you”? Is it comforting? Discomforting? Frustrating? Hard to
understand? Awesome? How can I grow today in awareness that the Friend
lives in me?
3. As I drive, walk, work, study, and interact with others today, call on my
Friend for his guidance with the thoughts I think, the words I speak, and the
decisions I make.

Personal Note:
The Spirit lives in me and is guiding all my thoughts.