The Greatest Love Of All

"So here's the thing I can't get past...Jesus gave his life for us. I mean, if we accept that reconciliation with God is impossible without the work of Jesus - doesn't that give us more than enough reason to worship Him?" This quote came from a friend of mine in another discussion, and I am so glad it did. Because it is pervasive of the thinking out there about how Jesus love was so great, and huge and wonderful. I believe fully in that love, and am not diminishing that love one bit. But, I think there is am even greater love than Jesus love. (This is where the trinity thing really comes into play with me.)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoeverbelieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Oh how we know this verse. How many times have you read it, or said it, or heard it. But I got a perspective on it that I could not have gotten, until I became a parent.

If God came to me, and ask me to do what Jesus did, in the same way, with the same results, I could without a doubt. That is not blowing my own horn. I just know myself, and if that situation arose, no problem. I saw Passion of the Christ, I saw what he went through, I know the pain that would be suffered. Not just here on earth, but in the hands of the devil as well. I would do it.

But, if God came to me, and told me to give up my son for that. I really do not know that I could.

He is a wonder of my life. He came to us from a mother who smoked crack on the way to the hospital to ease the pain of labor. Who already had one crack baby at home. I praise God everyday that we could take him in our home, and give him a place where he is told at least twice a day that he is loved. He is such a happy kid, smiling, laughing, playing, and just all arond fun. Loving, tender, and kind. Picking flowers out of the neighbor's flower bed, to give to his mother, to show how much he loves her. I couldn't be the cause of that much pain for him, I just couldn't do it.

But another father did. Another father sent his son through that. Not so that we would be saved. But so that we could be saved. He did it, knowing we had free will, and it all could be for nothing. No one may have chosen the way of salvation. He would have done that to his son for nothing. He loved us so much, that he did that to his SON, so we would just have a chance, just a chance, at salvation. I sit here crying, trying to imagine God's pain, as he watched his son become so repugnent with the world's sin, that even with his love, he couldn't look at him anymore, and left his son to die on the cross alone.

I could not do that to my son. Yet, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, so that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."