SCRIPTURE: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 KJV)
QUOTE: “Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” – C.S. Lewis
NOTE:
The death of Christ is not only the demonstration of God’s love (John 3:16), it is also the supreme expression of Christ’s own love for all who receive it as their treasure. The sufferings and death of Christ have to do with me personally. It is my sin that cuts me off from God, not sin in general. I am lost and perishing; all I can do is plead for mercy. Then I see Christ suffering and dying. For whom? Ephesians 5:25 says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” And John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.” And Matthew 20:28, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” And I ask, Am I among the “many”? Can I be one of His “friends”? May I belong to the “church”? And I hear the answer, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). My heart is swayed, and I embrace the beauty and bounty of Christ as my treasure. And there flows into my heart this great reality–the love of Christ for me. Embrace this love today and experience the transformation.
ILLUSTRATION:
“One night a man came to our house and told me, “There is a family with eight children. They have not eaten for days,” I took some food and I went. When I finally came to the family, I saw the faces of those little children disfigured by hunger. There was no sorrow or sadness in their faces, just the deep pain of hunger. I gave the rice to the mother. She divided it in two, and went out, carrying half the rice with her. When she came back, I asked her, “Where did you go?” She gave me this simple answer, “To my neighbors-they are hungry also.” I was not surprised that she gave–because poor people are generous. But I was surprised that she knew they were hungry. As a rule, when we are suffering, we are so focused on ourselves we have no time for others.” –Mother Teresa
REFLECTION:
How can share the love of Christ around you?
TWO YEAR BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 2 – 3, Psalm 99