The Love-Give Connection

December 10, 2018

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

This is perhaps the most familiar verse in the Bible, certainly the most quoted. We see it at nearly every major sport event as a handmade sign, on mugs, plaques, and stationery. It’s so familiar that we can skim over it and miss one of the several vital messages in it.

It plainly says, “God loved so much that he gave . . .” Starting with God, there is a clear LOVE-GIVE connection. Whenever we truly love, we respond by giving. The deeper the love, the more sacrificial we are willing to make the gift. God loved an undeserving, uncaring, detached world so much that He gave His ONLY Son. Staggering to imagine. Paul expressed his amazement this way:

When we were utterly helpless . . . Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:6-8

Don’t you agree with him? Most people wouldn’t even give their life on purpose for a good person, let alone for a bad person. But God showed His great love for us while we were still “dirty, rotten scoundrels” by giving us the very best He had to give.

When love is true, when love is the God kind of love, there’s always a love-give connection.

Think about it. Put your name in this line. If God was talking about you, how would He finish this sentence? “____________ so loved that he/she gave _______________.”

How would your family finish the sentence?

Pray “God, help me make the love-give connection today.”