3 Jun, 2011
"I'm Glad I'm Not God!"
A couple of weeks ago, our oldest child turned fifteen. To say that "time flies" would truly be an understatement. It seems like yesterday that we came home from the hospital, as new parents, not knowing what to do. A memory from those first few days at home was one of the most defining moments in my journey with Jesus. As I held our first born son in a rocking chair, staring at him through tears of joy, I was overwhelmed with this thought - "I'm glad I'm not God!" I remember thinking and praying, I don't know how God could give up His very own, firstborn son. In that moment, the very often heard words of John 3:16 came to life in my life and changed me.
Photo courtesy of Becht Family Photos.
It would be easy to answer this question today in one word ... EVERYTHING!
The message of the Good News comes to a focus in this verse. God's love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships - when you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of his Son, the highest price he could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. When we share the Good News with others, our love must be like Jesus' - willingly giving up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God's love.
How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to My Life?
- Thank God today for giving His one and only Son for you.
- Ask God to put a burden to share the Good News with others on your heart this weekend.
- Talk with your parents about their thoughts and feelings when they first brought you home from the hospital.
- Spend some time this weekend with those friends God put on your heart. Listen for opportunities to share God's love with those friends.
- Do you have a friend with whom you've been sharing God's Story? Gently ask a few questions this weekend to see what they are thinking and feeling about Jesus. Talk with them about today's God's Story scripture verse.
- May 2012 [14]
- April 2012 [19]
- March 2012 [21]
- February 2012 [19]
- January 2012 [18]
- December 2011 [20]
- November 2011 [15]
- October 2011 [15]
- September 2011 [14]
- August 2011 [22]
- July 2011 [19]
- June 2011 [21]
- May 2011 [20]
- April 2011 [20]
- March 2011 [21]
- February 2011 [20]
- January 2011 [21]
- December 2010 [21]
- November 2010 [21]
- October 2010 [21]
- September 2010 [22]
- August 2010 [21]
- July 2010 [22]
- June 2010 [20]
- May 2010 [18]
- April 2010 [20]
- March 2010 [23]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [19]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
