“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.”
John 3:16 (KJV)
Since we just celebrated Easter, I thought I would bring up this verse, giving us the reason at the heart of the matter – God loves us.
This is probably the best know and most loved verse in the entire Bible. It is the one we hear from childhood on, the very first thing we memorize in many cases. It carries such impact and authority that it brings comfort in diverse situations and encourages us in the darkest of hours.
It also tells us the nature of God’s love. It is (and He is) benevolent and giving. Also, it is a love that is willing to make the greatest of sacrifices.
That, in a nutshell, gives us a view of what God has offered us. Now, what do we do to reciprocate?
Sadly, we often don’t want to give the way that God has given. We want to receive God’s love, but don’t want to make the sacrifices that show it.
Sometimes when something is asked of us, we try to avoid the sacrifice that would make us have to alter our lifestyles, show compassion on the outcast, or go out of our way for the sake of others.
We want the love without the commitment. We want God to do all the giving while we do all the getting.
But the fact is that if we are to be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), to be like our Father, we should be willing to sacrifice, to give, and to love others as He has loved us.
It isn’t always easy. That is why it is a sacrifice. No servant is greater than his lord (John 13:16) and we need to follow the example when it is asked of us.
Be Blessed and have a great day!