40 Favorite Scriptures

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 FAVORITE Scriptures
Day 3 |GOD’S GREAT LOVE

GOD’S GREAT LOVE

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” (KJV)

For we who are in Christ, this verse says it all.  Just as Genesis 1:1 – yesterday’s verse – tells us about the beginning of everything, this one tells us how to have a relationship with that Creator God who made everything.

I can see why some people struggle with this verse.  First, many feel undeserving.  I mean, WHO in their right mind would make such a sacrifice for you or me?  I mean, would YOU give up one of your children to die for the benefit of someone else?  Of course not! But then… He’s GOD, and we’re NOT.

God’s Love is so unbelievable, especially when compared to OUR Love.  Yes, we love our families, other Christians, and so on.  BUT sacrificial love like God’s?

So WHY did He do it?  Why did GOD, the all-powerful, give His Son, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, to come to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, get falsely accused and tried, and then die on the cross… a horrendous death? WHY did God allow that?

Because of HIS GREAT LOVE for His creation, and the pinnacle of that creation, people.
In Genesis 1, we read about God’s creation of everything.  Step by step, the sun, moon, stars, animals, the planet, day, night – everything.

Then we read:  “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)

God created humanity to have someone to LOVE and to have someone to love Him.  He didn’t NEED our love, but He has so MUCH LOVE to share that He made us.

Ultimately, that love and humanity’s sin caused Him to do the extraordinary: to GIVE His only Son – Jesus – to pay the price for our sin so that we might not perish but, instead, live with God in heaven forever.

Prayer: Father God, I can NEVER repay You for the love and kindness You showed to us – to me – as this verse teaches.  All I can do is say a sincere Thank You and I love You.  Amen.