How does the love of God abide in us?

1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? The context of this verse is the love of God. He had just described the character of God’s love, namely laying down one’s life for their brothers and sisters in Christ. There’s an assumption in this verse: The children of God have the love of God abiding in them. Remember in 3:1 he remarked about the love God has bestowed upon His children. Let me state this verse in the positive. John was specific about what it means to lay down one’s life—it’s having one’s heart open to his brother in need. The love of God abiding in him moves him to help his brother if he has the means to do it. How does the love of God abide in someone if it isn’t moved to help a brother in need? John’s reply would be, “It doesn’t.” Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones defined mercy. He said, “While grace looks down upon sin as a whole, mercy looks, especially upon the miserable consequences of sin. Mercy really means a sense of pity plus a desire to relieve the suffering.” The good Samaritan illustrated God’s mercy. He came upon the man who had been beaten and robbed and took pity on him which moved him to help the man. That was John’s point in this verse. God’s love has mercy on a brother who is suffering and in need which moves him to action. God may put a brother in need in your path today because He has given you what the brother needs and He wants to glorify His name by loving through you. The Live to Love prayer prepares you to love with Jesus. If you aren’t already praying it, I invite you to check it out at www.livetolovewithjesus.com. Let’s be ready to give to our brothers and sisters in Christ what God has given to us to meet their needs.