Every family share certain characteristics.  These may be physical similarities, or the way they walk or talk.  God's family is marked out by God's character which is full of love.  In contrast to the way of the world, where love is valued if it does not cost too much, the children of God have the wonderful privilege of being loved by the only person who is in charge of everything, everywhere for all time and eternity; and He will spare nothing to show His love (1 John 3:1-2).

It was His love which first drew us to the Lord.  When we knew that we were lost and stained by sin, guilty and incapable of getting clean by ourselves – God's love reached out to us (Psalm 18:16-19).  Although our sin prevented us reaching up to God, Jesus came down to us.  He accepted responsibility for our sin when He died on the cross, so that we might be declared 'not guilty', righteous and holy (1 Peter 2:24).  The first Good Friday was very costly to God, when Christ ransomed us from the clutches of Satan's kingdom; but that is the nature of love.

True love will give whatever is needed, even giving one's life so that another can live (John 15:13). That is the character of God; and it is also the nature which He gives to all who have been born-again into His family (John 3:5-8). So if we claim to know this loving God, and say He is our Father, we should have a desire to love other believers.  If we are really in His family, to what extent do we share His nature?

It is a helpful reminder to all of us who know that we have been embraced by God's love that we should keep on loving other people, despite the discouragements.  God put His love into us and we need to express it so that we can work effectively with our Father to bless His family and draw others towards Him.  The Good Friday love is greater than we can ever give; we are not asked to be punished for the sins of the world - Jesus has already done that.  We are only asked to give some of what we have received in the Name of Jesus, so that He can bless others through our obedient love.