Wednesday, April 16, 2014

God's Love

Lately, our youngest son (4 years old) has taken to affirming his love for us in this way:

<Christopher>  "Dad / Mom, do you know why I love you?"
<Us>  "Why do you love me?
<Christopher>  "Because I love you!"

Oh, I am sometimes amazed at the profound wisdom that young children often have.  This child understands that love is not based on what he gets out of a relationship, but rather that love is a choice that is made and freely given to someone else regardless of self-gain.  This reminds me of a verse in the Bible:

"This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." I John 4:10

You see, God's love for us is just the same.  He loves us because He has freely chosen to give us His love, and not for anything we've done to deserve His love.  That same question that our youngest son asks, can also be heard from God in this entire chapter of I John 4...

<God>  "Child, do you know why I love you?"
<Us>  "Why do you love me?"
<God?  "Because I love you!"

This love is all the more clear this time of year as we head into the Easter weekend and focus on what that love cost God.  He loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus into the world, so "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (I Cor. 15:4)  Because of that sacrificial love, we can have a relationship with God; and have the hope and peace that comes along with knowing that we'll spend forever with God!

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