This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

— 1 John 4:10

My wife, Jacquie, is a teacher in a Christian elementary school. One day she asked her students to complete this sentence: “Jesus loves me because . . .” Almost every student answered with phrases like “Because I am sometimes kind to my sister” or “Because I try to do my best in school.”

It was interesting to hear that almost all of the students connected Jesus’ love with their efforts to earn it. Where did that idea come from? It is not the message of the Bible, and it is not the gospel. The true heart of the gospel is captured in the powerful words of 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

The gospel message is that there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us. Our salvation is offered as a completely free, undeserved gift: we simply receive it. Our passage sums it all up in one word: love.

Receive the good news for you today: This is love: not that you loved God (or did anything else to earn God’s favor), but that he loves you and sent his Son as a saving sacrifice for your sins. You are loved—just because you are you and God is love.

Dear God, as I am reminded that your love is the starting point of everything, help me to embrace Jesus as your greatest gift of love to me. Help me to love you in return. Amen.