Your Daily Devotional for May 26, 2007

 

May 26,  2007

 

 

God's Love to Us

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

 

1 John 4:9-10

 

 

As we continue looking at the love of God, notice that not only did God tell us through His Word that He loves us, but He showed His love to us. We talked briefly about this yesterday, yet it is so vital that we understand what Christ went through to prove His love for us.

 

In verse nine, we see the word manifested which means "made visible." It would have been enough for God to tell us He loved us, yet He went to Calvary to make His love visible. A God who loved His people was a foreign thought to many people in the first century. Many of the pagan gods were feared and worshipped in fear, yet as people turned to Christ, they learned of His love and sacrifice for them.

 

God showed His love to us by sending His only Son. Someone once said, "You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving." Because God loved us so much, He willingly gave His Son. John 3:16 is sometimes all too familiar to many Christians, yet it reveals the very heart of God when it says, "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." That is what Christianity is all about. God loved us so much that He gave.

 

Not only did Jesus come to earth to show His love, but He came to pay for our sins.  God realized that sin must be paid for, and in His love, He gave Himself as that payment. No other payment would satisfy the demands of a just God, so Christ gave Himself.

 

A 36-year-old mother was discovered to be in the advanced stages of terminal cancer. One doctor advised her to spend her remaining days on vacation while a second physician offered her the hope of living two to four more years with the grueling side effects of radiation.

 

She penned the following words to her three small children. "I've chosen to try to survive for you. This has some horrible costs, including pain, loss of good humor, and moods I won't be able to control, but I must try this, if only on the outside chance that I might live one minute longer. And that minute could be the one you might need me when no one else will do. For this I intend to struggle tooth and nail, so help me God."

 

This woman endured painful treatments because she loved her children and wanted to be there for them. But Jesus gave so much more to offer us salvation. He proved His love to us when He endured a grueling death on Calvary for us.

 

Jesus showed us that when we love others, we will give to them. Whether it's our time, our money, or ourselves, we will put their needs above our own. What have you done lately to manifest your love to others? You may say you love them, but what have you done to show them your love? God gave His only Son to show us His love. Ask God to help you show others your love for them today.

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 28-29 • John 9:24-41

 

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