Day 4:
We’d be
remiss if we didn’t touch on, perhaps, the most famous scripture, John
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.”
Indeed, the
Answer of Jesus, God’s love gift shows us what He has done, not what we have done.
Really take that in for a
moment. Many of us “earners” believe anything and everything, love included, is
conditional, performance-oriented and, let’s be real, a grueling punishment.
Not so with
God. He first teaches us the principle of gift-giving: our only job is to
accept and receive. Think about the birthday or special occasion gifts you have
gotten in your life. The focus was on you being blessed and honored. You didn’t
have to do anything back.
Now, I know,
that should be the ideal. However,
many of us have felt there were “strings” attached in those scenarios. Perhaps abuse,
enmeshment, divorce and a whole host of complicated issues sent us the message
we needed to work for love and gifts. That was a faulty- and inaccurate-
representation of Who God is. That representation can cause serious harm and
can trip us up in many ways.
It’s why we
need the reality check of God and His different
love for us:
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my
ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My
thoughts than your thoughts.’”
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
No action or
sin of ours can change what is done when it comes to Jesus. Nothing! He is
God’s gift to us. God gives gifts and He’s not taking that one back!
Copyright © 2016 by Sheryle Cruse
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