God is Love

(Read John 3:14-16)

Some devotionals pop in my mind days before I start writing them. Other times, I’ll see something or hear something that triggers a theme for the writing, and then there are those occasions where I have no idea what God wants me to say until I talk with someone else about their faith. This is one of those times.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
John 3:14-15

All the experts in social rules and regulations say that you should never discuss religion and politics at work or in formal settings. I agree with the political side of that equation. But, I also believe there’s a right way to talk about our faith with people in settings other than our immediate circle of friends and family.

In the past I worked as a contractor for a client providing web and graphic design services. One day, I was informed that they were going to staff their company with full time designers – so my gig had a termination date. I was asked if I could train their new hire on the tools, styles, and products that we used for their sales and marketing. There were no hard feelings, so I was more than happy to help.

This guy was and still is, one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I could see instantly that he was more energetic and professionally trained than me. He is an incredible talent with vision. More importantly, he has a profound gift with people. One day during training, I asked him about his faith. Basing my decision on his place of origin, I had a feeling about his religious background, so I took a shot.

The people referred to in the Old Testament Book of Numbers (Chapter 21) were suffering as a result of their own failings. The result from their sins would be death. Their only hope was to trust in something greater than themselves. They were healed by staring at a snake on a pole. Being healed simply by looking at a bronze snake left no doubt in their minds that God’s power alone, brought healing. We too suffer as a result of sin. We must also place our hope and trust in something beyond us. We can’t earn our redemption, it comes from faith alone. Faith in Christ is not a routine thing we do, any more than looking upon the serpent on a pole was. Both are freely available to all. Those who refuse to buy in will miss out on being rescued.

We all know people like this guy. He is one of those people who you become friends with instantly and it feels like you’ve been friends for years. There’s an instant connection. He is probably the most patient and truly one of the kindest souls I’ve ever met in my life. Growing up in large denominational church, he had the experience of nearly two thousand of years of rituals of traditions to pull from. His family and community shared similar backgrounds. When inquiring about the roots of his faith, he paused. “I really didn’t know the Bible that well,” he said. “I took God, Jesus’s sacrifice, all of it for granted.” I learned that his understanding was based on things he did in church out of habit. “From a deeply spiritual perspective, everything I knew was kind of superficial,” he continued.

We talked about church. We discussed how church is a healthy place, a safe place for people to worship. It was for him too, for most of his 41 years. It wasn’t until 3 years ago when an older man, a follower of Jesus opened his eyes and heart to a new understanding. “There was nothing wrong with my church,” he admitted, “but now that I really see Jesus Christ, I have a different perspective. Following Jesus has put more meaning in my life.”

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

In John 3, Jesus was describing an astonishing truth to a well established synagogue leader named Nicodemus who had secretly sought out deeper spiritual wisdom. Nicodemus probably knew of Jesus’ miracles and was willing to risk ridicule, punishment, and his synagogue status by coming to Jesus for his heavenly knowledge. More than likely, he was looking for more meaningful truths than what was getting from his temple. Jesus told Nicodemus, this is how much God loves you, he sent “me.” It wasn’t arrogance, conceit, or delusion, it was God pointing to himself. It was God explaining how the heavens work. God sending us his Son was his rescue plan for our fallen world.

“When I came to know the real Jesus Christ, it was like a burden was lifted from me.” My friend went into more details of the intensity of his faith, “I know he’s watching me. I’m far from being an ideal example of a Christian, I have a long way to go,” he confessed. We’re all incapable of being good enough for heaven. But God made a way for it to happen. Believing in his loving son and his sacrifice for us is the assurance we need that we’re going to heaven.

Much like what Jesus did for Nicodemus, my friend had a veil of understanding lifted by a loving friend too. A mutual friend from his home country and from a similar religious background, earned his trust and befriended him. He gently introduced him to Bible passages. They talked, learned, and studied God’s word. “I think he saw in me, what he used to be,” my friend exclaimed. “The good news was overwhelming.”

“And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.”
Isaiah 12:4 ESV

My friend confided that he has a close relative who is enduring a serious health crisis. He and his family are leaving town for three weeks to help with care, appointments, and decisions. It will be three weeks of concentrated love. “There’s a reason for everything,” he told me. “I’m an optimistic person, God loves us unconditionally.” That’s why John 3:16 resonates so deeply within him. For followers of Christ, we see a love so intense and so generous, it’s almost incomprehensible. Having someone pay the ultimate price for our benefit is the truest form of love we will ever know.

“What do I believe,” my friend asked, “I believe there is power in prayer. God made a beautiful world and we should be thankful for it.” Open your eyes. Just look around. “God is love. He is the source of everything”.

“If you were to travel to the furthest reaches of the universe, or go back to the beginning of time, there you’ll find love … for “God is love”
dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com

Key Applications:

1. Do you have meaningful conversations with people you care about? It doesn’t have to be spiritual, but do you engage in real conversations? Dialog should be about more than sports, weather, and politics. Get to know people better. Put yourself out there and get real with people.
2. Do you go through the motions with your faith life? Are you growing and maturing in your faith? Read John 3, the whole chapter. What is God telling you through this? Think about it. If you like, journal your observations this week after reading this chapter. Enjoy the fruits of God’s word and how it impacts your life.
3. The power of prayer is limitless. The only thing that puts boundaries on your prayers is you. Prayer puts us in line with God’s plans. Ask him. Pray to him what’s on your mind. Pray for others and know that God will hear you.

Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.