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).
For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life (John 3:16 TPT).
For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16 Voice).
Did it sink in as you read it over a few times? Did the question: what am I willing to give, come to your mind? Is there ANYONE you love ENOUGH that you would allow to cost you that one thing or person most precious to you in order to save their very life? What if you knew going in that you would make this enormous sacrifice and the person on the other end would fail you? Would you, could you still lay it down?
Rejected a billion times over by the ones He loves has never enough to stop God.
Genesis 6 speaks of the time of Noah; how men had become wicked and egotistical. In verses 5- 7, the Bible states: The Eternal One saw that wickedness was rampaging throughout the earth and that evil had become the first thought on every mind, the constant purpose of every person. At that point God’s heart broke, and He regretted having ever made man in the first place. God gave us a second chance after the flood. If you don’t, know that whole story…you are not going to hear it here but know we did not get it right even then directly after the flood and we have continued to make mistakes both large and small from there to here. BUT STILL He loved us enough to send Jesus to die for our sin.
Paul writes in Romans 8: 35-38: Who could ever separate us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, even though it is written: All day long we face death threats for your sake, God. We are considered to be nothing more than sheep to be slaughtered! Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.
What can separate someone from your love…?
Who do you love enough to do what He did for you? Is there anyone for whom you’d lay down your life? Is there a person you are willing to tell day in and day out, “I love you even though you fail me”? Is there someone you continue to believe in even when they repeatedly don’t keep their word? Are you capable even in the tiniest capacity of loving someone, anyone, the way that Christ, His Father and the Holy Spirit love you? Are you willing to fight the pain of fear and rejection to make sure the people God places in and around you always feel His love and never your brokenness? Where do you stand?
It is a heavy ask.
The world today is such a turbulent place. So much hate. So much negativity. More love is the only combatant to our current circumstance. Love is as contagious as hate; just harder to ignite. I encourage you to find a single person in which to invest His persistent love (definition below) because if I pick one and you pick one and those two pick one, eventually, the world will be healed.
Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
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