The Watering Can: For God So Loved the World...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 Life Application Bible

Perhaps one of the best known scriptures in the world. The simple truth. God sent His Son Jesus to live on this earth for the purpose of saving His people. When seen in this light, it isn't difficult to understand. God's Word is the source of all truth. With all the debate that goes on between people of different faiths, the truth of His Word is what stands alone. There are those who can't bring themselves to believe what they read in the Bible because they just can't accept that His love and His salvation are so simple. There is no "working to achieve", there is no "deserving" salvation. We do not pay for the gift of life. Is it so difficult to believe that God loves us that much? How much do we love our children? What would we give to save the lives of our children, our most precious possessions? If you are like me, I would give my life without question or hesitation, if giving my life would save the lives of my own. Why is it so difficult to believe that God would do the same? He is our Creator, He knows the number of hairs on our heads, He knows us, even in those places we keep hidden from those who are closest to us. He created us in His image "So God created people in His own image; God patterned them after Himself, male and female He created them" Genesis 1:27 Life Appl. Bible.

Salvation is a free gift. It is not to be earned or bought. This is the best news ever! I believe that we have such a difficult time accepting this truth because we are taught that we ourselves are the only people we can rely on; that nothing in this world is free, that we need to strive to achieve. Well, this is all true. In this world, nothing is free, and, yes, we do need to work toward our goals. This is one way that God has given us to grow. The flip side of that coin, however, is that He wants to help us to do what we do here in this life. He sees the "big picture" of the life He brought us here to live. He has placed within us the desires we have to do well, to achieve, to live, and to love. And, yes, in each one of us lives a desire to believe that God is real, that He lives, and loves us. If this wasn't a part of our makeup, we wouldn't spend so much time searching for the truth; looking for fulfillment everywhere else. We can and will find happiness through the years in many different ways, jobs, people, and our individual interests. But that God-shaped void in each of our lives will be left empty until we actually come to know Him for who He truly is. Our creator, our teacher, the Father who loves us unconditionally.

What salvation is all about is the love that God has for us. "...God is love", 1 John 4:8 NIV, His love is simple and pure. No hidden agendas. He doesn't place a price on our heads. This is what "unconditional" means. There are no "ifs" connected with the love that God has for us, His people.

Someone once told me that God is my crutch. After thinking about that remark for a little while, I realized that he was right. God is my crutch. I am a human being. I may be "made in God's image", but I am not God. I have many faults and weaknesses, as we all do. Living here in this world, making mistakes and foolish choices is inescapable. Even with His guidance I sometimes take the wrong direction, because He gives us all free will, He forces nothing on us. But He is more than able to take my mistakes and my wrong turns and make them into something beautiful in my life. So, yes, He is my crutch. I lean on Him with everything in me and I wouldn't want it any other way. I have tried using other crutches at different times in my life, but they never withstood the weight I put on them. None held me up through the storms in my life the way He does. He has proven to me time and time again that He will never turn away from me. I think I'll stick with Him. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you", Hebrews 13:4-6 NIV

"In this life I know where I've been, but in His arms I know who I am. I'm forgiven." Sanctus Real