"And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him." 1 John 4:9
I will give you a warning, the thought that came to my mind when I read this didn't probably come from God. I just know He can use anything my flesh or the enemy try to throw at me. So I'm still gonna share. We rarely think of Scripture and describe it as the unthinkable, it is the living Word of God after all.
I talked to a friend last night who was questioning their parenting. The kids are all successful adults, most with families of their own. I reminded my friend that great father Abraham threw one of his kids out to the curb and put another up on the alter to sacrifice. While he didn't follow through, as a former child welfare worker, I would have taken Isaac from him just the same. We don't try to kill our kids, and I am not waiting around to see if he would try again and be successful. The "But God told me to" excuse would not go very far with the courts.
So as I read this passage my mind went down the same thought pattern. I questioned "Why did I chose to follow a God who would sacrifice His only Son for me?" In the natural, that just seems absurd. What makes millions of people, over centuries follow a God that would sacrifice His son. Why do we call Him good in light of that major action? Sending His son, allowing His Son to die, and that being part of the His plan from the beginning, why does this make us follow Him?
"it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw. He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from death and gave him glory; and so your faith and hope are fixed on God." I Peter 1:19-21
I have never thought about that behavior in my decision to follow God. In the flesh, I would not ever follow someone who sacrificed their child. Even waiting until He was an adult and could make that choice for himself; it was God's plan from before creation. It just doesn't make sense. In the natural, it is unthinkable.
Then I reread this scripture, and suppose it tells me why. I look at the love in His action. He loved me enough to give His Son. I know I would not give my child as a sacrifice for anyone. I don't think even knowing that the one life would save many that I could or would do it. I picture Jesus in the manger, as God's child. I can separate that tiny child from the Son of God placed on the cross for my sins.
He gave His Son, Jesus's life that we might have life. He allowed His perfect Son to come to earth in the form of man. He allowed His sinless Son to become sin for us, that we might be made righteous. That is love in its truest form. He did the unthinkable so that I could have relationship with Him.
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