Wednesday, June 21, 2017
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
O HOW WIDE IS THE IMMEASURABLE LOVE OF GOD!
Jesus Himself here reveals to us the very heart of our Savior-God. We see that in His love God's glory shines forth most brightly. And while the LORD's love is surely beyond our measuring, that does not mean it is beyond our meditation or praise. This is especially true when we remember that God's love is not mere emotion, but divine compassion-- full of understanding and commitment, purpose and action.
Consider how wide God's love for you is! Jesus says it is as wide as the world. Not the planet. The people. God's love embraces all the people who ever lived in the history of the world. (How could that love not include you?! Remember that when days are dark and your prayers seem unanswered.) Furthermore, God's love includes each of us, not in spite of our sinfulness, but because of it. We are so in need of God's love because we are so given to putting something else at our life's center-- in the place that belongs to God. We are all so undeserving of God's love-- yet God's love in Christ extends to us all.
Parents sometimes ask a young child "How much do I love you?" and then extend their arms as wide as possible and say, "This much!" -- and enclose the child in a loving embrace.
That's what God did to each of us individually-- when Jesus extended His arms on the cross!
O how wide is the love of God in Christ our Savior!
