JESUS SPEAKING
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3: 16.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
God is a loving Father who cares deeply for every man, woman, and child who has ever been born. His love is so profound that He sent His only Son to suffer the punishment for our sins; that we might receive the gift of eternal life. Because Jesus Christ was whipped, beaten, mocked, spit upon, and crucified, the world has come to know the love of the almighty God; his pierced hands and feet are a perpetual reminder of the awesome measure of His affections. Without sacrifice there is no proof of genuine love.
Many years ago a man named William Dixon lived in Brackenwaite, England. He was a widower whose only Son had tragically died. There lived near him a grandmother who was raising her orphaned grandson. One day their house caught on fire; although the aged grandmother was rescued, her grandson was trapped in the blaze. Dixon climbed an iron pipe on the side of the house and lowered the boy to safety. The hand he used to hold on to the pipe was badly burned. Shortly after the fire, the grandmother died. The townspeople wondered who would care for the boy. Two volunteers appeared before the town council. One was a father who had lost his son and wanted to adopt the orphan. The other man was William Dixon. When given the opportunity to speak, Mr. Dixon said nothing. Instead, he simply raised his scarred hand in the air for everyone to see. The vote was taken, and the boy was given to Dixon.
Like Mr. Dixon, Jesus Christ endured much pain and suffering to save us from certain death. His scarred hands and feet are perpetual reminders of His immense love. Who better to call our master and our Lord than the one who sacrificed his life so that we could live? Having received salvation, we are then compelled to lay down our lives for others. Abandoning selfish pursuits, we are called to embrace the attributes of sacrifice, selflessness, and service. Through our acts of kindness and love, God will continue to make known to the world the fullness of His affections.
“Lord Heavenly Father we thank You for Your immeasurable love. We praise you Jesus for the pain that you endured on the cross for us. May our hearts continually be filled with gratitude. May we follow Your example and lay down our lives to serve our fellows. Give us the strength to forfeit our fleshly desires, that we might genuinely love others as You have so graciously loved us. We honor You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 