John 3:16 Part 4

GOD GAVE THE MOST PRECIOUS THING HE COULD EVER GIVE: JESUS

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

When the time came for God to show the full extent of his love He could have chosen anything to show his love to the world. He could have stopped at creation. Sometimes I’m just taken aback by the ocean breeze, the sight of a blue jay, or the sweet scent of a lily: all of these simple things remind me of the love of God. I am simply amazed that such a great God would take the time to fill the earth with simple little treasures. God took the time to fill in the details that make you and I smile if only for a moment. Personally, God could have stopped at chocolate. I am so grateful for chocolate, extremely grateful. If you’re not a chocoholic like me than you just won’t be able to understand. The easiest way to become my friend is to give me chocolate. I have never disliked anyone who has ever given me chocolate, never. I know God loves me because He created chocolate! What more do you need? And I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure He created it just for me especially.

Luckily for you non-chocolate lovers out there, God gave the world so much more than chocolate! Our heavenly Father searched all of heaven and earth to find the most precious thing He could give to show his love for the world. He gave us Jesus. The giving of Jesus exemplifies God giving the world his best. He gave us the sun, the moon and the stars, but that wasn’t enough. He gave us the flowers, the trees and the pretty birds that perch upon their branches, but that wasn’t enough. For God only the best would do to show his love to all his children, so He gave us Jesus to die on the cross to take away all of our sins. All of our shame, pain, disappointments and failures, Jesus bore upon his shoulders. He willingly shared in all of our sufferings. He was hungry, tired, broken, frustrated, just like all of us at times. The book of Isaiah says he was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3). He was lonely at times, just like all of us. There is no pain we can ever experience that Jesus can’t relate to. In laying down his life Jesus gave life to the world. God loves you that much. No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’ve been, God loves you that much. Regardless of your past or your present shortcomings there’s no place you could ever go to escape the infinite love of God. God’s love for you is beyond measure and human comprehension.

Following the Way,
Kevin