The Daily CHEW™
Moving God’s Love from Head to Heart for Christian Professionals
Why This Matters for You
You say, “God loves me,” and you mean it. But on a random Wednesday—between Slack pings, family needs, and quiet pockets of loneliness—that love can feel vague, almost like a distant fog. You may picture God’s love as a general kindness, or as something Jesus showed on the cross, but not as a living, relational love that is actively shaping your schedule, your reactions, and your relationships right now. Meanwhile, you feel pressure to hold everything together, to love difficult people well, and to live with purpose, often feeling like it all depends on you.
Underneath, there is often a thin view of God’s love: God as a solitary figure who tolerates you if you perform well enough, blesses your plans if you pray hard enough, and steps back when you struggle. Yet Scripture reveals something far more beautiful—and more concrete. The Bible opens a window into the inner life of God: the Father loving the Son before the foundation of the world, the Son delighting to do the Father’s will, and the Spirit pouring that same love into our hearts. You are not loved by a distant, generic deity, but swept into a living relationship where the Father loves you “even as” He loves Jesus (John 17:23, ESV).
This means your everyday story—emails, conflicts, commutes, quiet tears—is not lived on the outside of God’s love but inside a triune embrace. As this reality moves from head to heart, you do not just feel more secure; you begin to love God and others differently: less guarded, more patient, more courageous, more willing to pursue unity and reconciliation because you are anchored in a love that existed before you and will outlast everything else.
The Gospel Meets You Right Here
When Jesus prays in John 17, He is not only thinking about the first disciples; He is praying for “those who will believe in me through their word” (John 17:20, ESV)—which includes you. His request is staggering: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23, ESV, emphasis added). This means the Father’s love for the Son—eternal, joyful, unbroken—is the template and measure of His love for you in Christ.
Romans 5 adds another layer: “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5, ESV). The Spirit is not an impersonal force; He is the One who takes the Father’s love for the Son and pours that same love into your heart, making it real, felt, and active over time. So the Trinity’s love is not a theological extra; it is the living stream that runs through your actual story: the Father loving the Son, the Son praying you into that love, and the Spirit bringing that love home to your heart.
Here’s the surprising way God’s love changes this story: your life is not about trying to get God to love you more; it is about learning to live as someone already included in a love that was there before you were born. As that sinks in:
- You are drawn into worship, because you see that the love carrying you today is the same love that has always pulsed between Father and Son.
- You love God more, because you realize He wanted you close enough that His Son would pray, bleed, and rise to bring you into that relationship.
- You love others better, because you begin to see fellow believers as people the Father loves with the same love He has for Jesus, which reshapes how you speak, forgive, and pursue unity.
Healing, growth, and strategic clarity then emerge as byproducts of this triune love at work: you make decisions less from fear of missing out and more from wanting to reflect the family you belong to; you approach conflict with a heart that longs for oneness, not just victory; and your leadership becomes an echo of the Father’s patient, initiating love for the Son’s people.
CHEW On This™: Practice Moving God’s Love from Head to Heart
Pause at each CHEW step below. Reflect, and answer in your own words—you’ll see a sample below each question. This is where the Gospel gets personal.
Confess
Question:
What are you feeling, fearing, or hiding from God right now about how He sees you—and how is that shaping the way you see and treat others?
Sample answer:
“Father, I often feel like I’m barely tolerated. I know, in theory, that You love me, but deep down I picture You as distant and slightly disappointed. I’m afraid that if I slow down or mess up, You’ll pull away. Because of that, I keep people at arm’s length too—I’m guarded, quick to judge, and slow to forgive. I rarely think of myself—or them—as people You love like You love Jesus.”
Prompt:
Take a moment—where do you see yourself in this? Name the fears, assumptions, or images you carry about God’s posture toward you, and how those spill over into your posture toward others.
Hear
Question:
What does God’s Word say about the way the Father, Son, and Spirit love you—and what that means for how you see other believers?
Sample answer:
“Jesus, You prayed, ‘I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me’ (John 17:23, ESV). Your Word also says, ‘God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5, ESV). That means the Father loves me with the same kind of love He has always had for You, and the Spirit is actively pouring that love into my heart. It also means that every believer around me is someone the Father loves that much too.”
Prompt:
What verse—John 17:23, Romans 5:5, or another—most clearly tells you that you are caught up in the Trinity’s love, and that other believers share that same love?
Exchange
Question:
If I really believed that the Father loves me even as He loves Jesus (John 17:23), and that the Holy Spirit is actively pouring that love into my heart, how would that change the way I live my day, handle conflict, and relate to other believers in my world?
Sample answer:
“If I really believed this, I’d stop living like an outsider trying to earn a place. I’d walk into meetings, family conversations, and quiet moments knowing I am already loved with a love that existed before the world. My anxiety would soften; I’d feel less threatened by criticism or comparison because my identity would be anchored in that love. With others, I’d be quicker to assume they are beloved too, slower to judge, more eager to forgive and to fight for unity, because our Father wants the world to see His love in the way we love one another.”
Prompt:
If you believed this deeply, what would change in your tone, your pace, your willingness to reconcile, or your courage to speak truth in love?
Walk
Question:
What is one practical step (10 minutes or less) that embodies trust in the Trinity’s love today—and helps you love at least one person in front of you differently?
Sample answer:
“Today, I will take 10 minutes to read John 17:20–23 and Romans 5:5, then I will pray, ‘Father, thank You that You love me as You love Jesus; Holy Spirit, pour that love deeper into my heart.’ After that, I will reach out to one person I’ve been avoiding or silently judging and offer a simple encouragement or apology, treating them as someone You dearly love.”
Prompt:
What is your next move—a small, concrete step today that says, “I am loved like Jesus is loved, and this person is too, so I will act like that is true”?
Ways to Experience God’s Love (Real-World Strategies That Change Your Heart)
Here’s how you can actively trust and experience God’s love—not just work harder.
- Pray John 17:23 over your own name
Why this helps:
John 17:23 is not just a verse to admire; it is a sentence Jesus prayed with you in mind. Praying it with your name makes the Trinity’s love concrete and personal, shifting how you walk into your day and how you look at others.
How:
- Write out John 17:23 (ESV) on a card or in your notes: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
- Insert your name: “Father, You sent Jesus and loved [your name] even as You loved Him.”
- After praying it for yourself, pray it over someone specific—a spouse, child, friend, coworker, or church member.
Scenario:
Before a difficult conversation, you whisper, “Father, You have loved me, and You have loved them, even as You loved Jesus. Let that shape how I speak and listen.”
What outcomes you can expect:
Over time, you begin to inhabit this verse; your sense of being an outsider fades, and your posture toward others softens as you remember they are objects of this same astonishing love.
Scripture Reference: John 17:20–23 (ESV).
- Ask the Spirit to pour love into specific moments
Why this helps:
Romans 5:5 describes the Spirit actively pouring God’s love into your heart, not just once at conversion but as an ongoing reality. Inviting Him into concrete pressures trains you to rely on God’s love in real time, not just in reflection.
How:
- At the start of the day, identify 2–3 “pressure points” (a meeting, a parenting moment, a temptation, a lonely evening).
- Pray: “Holy Spirit, in this moment, pour the Father’s love for the Son—and for me in Him—into my heart. Help me act from that love, not from fear or pride.”
- After the moment, briefly reflect: “How did I respond differently because I trusted You were with me?”
Scenario:
Walking into a performance review, instead of rehearsing defenses, you quietly ask the Spirit to pour God’s love into your heart. You listen more, react less, and respond with surprising peace.
What outcomes you can expect:
You begin to notice that God’s love is not only a comfort in hindsight but a power in the moment, shaping your reactions and your ability to love others under pressure.
Scripture Reference: Romans 5:5 (ESV).
- See your Christian relationships as a window into the Trinity’s oneness
Why this helps:
Jesus connects the unity of believers to the unity He shares with the Father: “that they may become perfectly one… that the world may know that you… loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23, ESV). Viewing your relationships this way elevates ordinary interactions into opportunities to reflect God’s triune love.
How:
- Choose one key relationship in the church (small group, ministry team, family).
- Ask: “In light of John 17:23, how could our oneness—our way of handling disagreement, confession, encouragement—show the world something of God’s love?”
- Take one step toward unity this week: initiate a needed conversation, offer forgiveness, or speak a word of affirmation.
Scenario:
Your small group has had underlying tension. After meditating on John 17, you humbly name your part, ask forgiveness, and suggest a shared time of prayer for unity rooted in the Father’s love.
What outcomes you can expect:
While conflict does not vanish overnight, the tone shifts. People feel safer, more valued, and more motivated to pursue peace, seeing your community as a living display of God’s love, not just a meeting.
Scripture Reference: John 17:21–23; Colossians 3:12–14 (ESV).
- Use CHEW with the core question: “If God loves me as He loves Jesus…”
Why this helps:
The CHEW process is designed to bring specific facets of God’s love into specific moments. Anchoring CHEW in John 17:23 helps move that particular truth from head to heart in a way that affects daily choices and relationships.
How:
- Confess: “Where am I living today as if I am unloved, on my own, or competing for value?”
- Hear: Read John 17:23 and Romans 5:5, noting what they say about the Father’s love and the Spirit’s work.
- Exchange: Ask, “If I really believed God loves me as He loves Jesus, how would that shift my response in this situation?”
- Walk: Take one small step (e.g., a gentler reply, a courageous truth spoken, a move toward someone you have been avoiding).
Scenario:
After a criticism at work, your instinct is to withdraw and stew. Instead, you CHEW with John 17:23, then choose to clarify calmly with your supervisor and later encourage a colleague instead of comparing yourself.
What outcomes you can expect:
The gap between what you say you believe about God’s love and how you live in stressful moments slowly narrows, and the people around you experience more of Christ’s character through you.
Scripture Reference: John 17:23; Romans 5:5 (ESV).
- Frame your decisions as a beloved child, not an orphan
Why this helps:
Orphans must protect themselves; beloved children can trust their Father’s wisdom and timing. Remembering that you are loved as the Son is loved changes how you think about risk, rest, and obedience.
How:
- Before a key decision, ask, “Am I thinking like an orphan (all alone, scrambling, terrified of loss) or like a child loved as Jesus is loved?”
- Read a short portion of John 17 or Romans 8:14–17, remembering your adoption and shared inheritance.
- Decide with this prayer: “Father, I trust that You love me as You love Your Son; lead me to what most reflects Your heart, not just what feels safest.”
Scenario:
You are torn between two job opportunities. Instead of choosing purely from fear or prestige, you slow down, soak in John 17 and Romans 8, and ask which path would most align with loving God and others from your secure identity.
What outcomes you can expect:
Your decisions gain a new freedom and integrity; you are less driven by panic or ego and more guided by the Father’s heart, which influences both your direction and your demeanor toward others.
Scripture Reference: Romans 8:14–17; John 17:24 (ESV).
- Let family or team prayers reflect the Trinity’s love story
Why this helps:
The way you pray with others teaches them what God is like. Bringing the Trinity’s love into shared prayer shapes a culture where people expect God’s love to be the atmosphere of their growth.
How:
- In family worship, small group, or team huddles, occasionally frame prayers like this:
- Thank the Father for His eternal love for the Son.
- Thank Jesus for bringing you into that love.
- Ask the Spirit to pour that love into your hearts and relationships.
- Use John 17:23 and Romans 5:5 as starting points.
Scenario:
Before a big project, your team pauses. You pray, “Father, thank You for loving Jesus before the foundation of the world—and for loving us in Him. Spirit, pour that love into our hearts today so we work with unity and grace.”
What outcomes you can expect:
Over time, your community expects God’s love, not just productivity, to be the defining reality. Confession, encouragement, and patient collaboration become more normal.
Scripture Reference: John 17:23–24; Romans 5:5 (ESV).
- Return often to John 17 and the John 17:23 resources
Why this helps:
John 17 is a unique window into Jesus’ heart for His people and how He sees the Father’s love. Repeated exposure deepens your understanding and keeps God’s love central in your spiritual imagination.
How:
- Once a month, read John 17 slowly, noting every mention of “love,” “glory,” and “one.”
- Journal: “What does this chapter show me about how the Father, Son, and Spirit relate—and where I fit in?”
- Explore related blogs that unpack John 17:23 in depth and offer CHEW questions (e.g., “How Deep Is the Father’s Love for the Son? Seeing the Intensity Behind John 17:23,” and other John 17-tagged blogs at 1st Principle Group).
Scenario:
You work through a John 17:23 blog that starts with the question, “If God truly loves you as much as He loves Jesus, what would change?” and use its CHEW prompts as part of your morning routine.
What outcomes you can expect:
Over time, John 17:23 becomes more than a surprising verse; it becomes a lens for your identity and relationships, anchoring you in a love that trains you to love others well.
Scripture Reference: John 17 (ESV).
- Treat every believer as someone the Father loves “even as” the Son
Why this helps:
If the Father loves fellow believers even as He loves Jesus, then there is no such thing as an unimportant or disposable Christian. Seeing people that way changes how you speak, listen, correct, and serve.
How:
- When you feel irritated or dismissive toward a brother or sister, pause and silently say, “The Father loves them as He loves Jesus.”
- Let that truth shape your next action: a gentler word, a patient question, a choice to bear with them.
- When you need to confront sin, do it as one beloved child speaking to another, aiming for restoration, not superiority.
Scenario:
Someone in your small group constantly talks too much. Instead of rolling your eyes internally, you remember John 17:23, then later have a kind, honest conversation that affirms their value and invites them to make space for others.
What outcomes you can expect:
Your relationships take on more dignity, patience, and hope. Others feel seen as beloved, not merely tolerated, and the Trinity’s love becomes visible in the way you treat the “hard to love.”
Scripture Reference: John 17:23; Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV).
Worship Response: Turn Gratitude into Worship
Take 30 seconds—thank God for what His love has done. Worship is responding to His finished work, even when your feelings lag behind.
Father, thank You that before the world began, You loved Your Son—and in Him, You now love us with that same steadfast love. Lord Jesus, thank You for praying us into this relationship, for giving us Your glory, and for asking that we would know the love with which the Father has loved You. Holy Spirit, pour this love into our hearts so that we live as beloved children and treat others as beloved too, letting our everyday stories display the beauty of Your triune love.
Next Steps to Grow in God’s Love
Lasting change is always relational—God moves, we respond. Share your story, join a CHEW group, or reach out for prayer.
- “How Deep Is the Father’s Love for the Son? Seeing the Intensity Behind John 17:23” – https://1stprinciplegroup.com/how-deep-is-the-fathers-love-for-the-son-seeing-the-intensity-behind-john-1723/
Explores the eternal love between Father and Son and how John 17:23 means that same love reaches you. - “What It Means That He Loves You the Same Way (John 17:23 Applied)” – https://1stprinciplegroup.com/chew-on-this/
Introduces the Core CHEW question—“If I really believed God loves me as much as He loves Jesus (John 17:23), what would change?”—and gives practical ways to live from that truth. - John 17 (ESV) – https://www.esv.org/John+17/
Jesus’ prayer that reveals the heart of the Trinity’s love and how you are included in that relationship.
With you on the journey,
Ryan
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