Your Daily Devotional for December 28, 2007

 

December 28,  2007

 

 

What Wondrous Love

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst."

 

John 19:17–18

A story was once told of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room—Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned. As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. "Doctor, when do I die?" Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He had thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life.

In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision. Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood but His life.  

Even though we sinned and turned our backs on God, He sent His Son to pay the price that we might live with Him for all eternity. What motivated Him to give His life for a people who wanted Him to die? Love—a love that superseded all other emotions. A love so amazing, so divine.

 

Even so, we should have such love. We should strive to be like Christ by showing those around us His great love—love for others that goes beyond any feelings of hatred or hurt, any loss or pain. Even if they do not deserve such love and forgiveness, we should display it to them, for we did not deserve Christ's love.

 

Is there someone you are refusing to love? Is there someone that you cannot forgive? Christ has love for the people He created even though we have disappointed Him. Ask God to give you grace so that you may love everyone with the love of Christ. Seek His help in loving others the way He loved us so many years ago on that rugged Cross.

 

Daily Bible Reading

Zechariah 5-8 • Revelation 19

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