Valerie and I aren’t much for celebrating Valentine’s Day, which is strange since we first met around that time many years ago. The truth of the matter is that everyday seems like Valentine’s Day for us. When it comes to our love, I tell her that I am constantly amazed and bewildered! I’m amazed that I’ve been so richly blessed by God to find the love of my life and I’m bewildered how Valerie continues to love me in spite of all my faults and failures!
You know it got me to thinking about the amazing love that God shows for each of us today. The bible speaks of that great love in Jn. 3:16, “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.” What a powerful picture of God’s love for us is presented in this verse.
You see, Jesus' death was no accident. God sent Him here to die in each of our place. Our Lord hanging on the rugged cross - spikes in His hands and feet, the crown of thorns jammed on His head, the deep spear wound in His side - that is a picture of the magnitude of God’s love for us! What’s really amazing is that Christ was willing to die for each of us in spite of our faults and failures with sin. He took your place and mine, absorbing all the punishment we deserved for our sin. His blood cleanses us from all our sins; that covers every law of God you've ever broken, every wrong thing you've ever done!
Whatever Valentine gift you gave or received last week is nothing in comparison to the greatest gift of love ever given. Listen, the greatest tragedy today would be for anyone to miss out on God’s gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. People miss out on God’s gift when they ignore Jesus or just continually put off uniting with Christ in baptism.
Today, God is extending His love gift to you, but you have to accept it. If you are not a Christian, you can become one today by turning from the sin that separates you from God and obeying the gospel of Christ today.
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