John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.”
A verse many of us know and probably memorized growing up. Have you really ever thought of the depth of it though. (Honestly, I hadn’t until Eli was born, and the depth continued to grow deeper with each of our kids.) It was just another verse in Scripture that I would recite during a service or someone would speak on and I would go, “yeah I’ve heard this message before.”
This year though is different, as I think upon Easter and look back at pictures of Eli sleeping in my arms these few words make me want to break down. Looking at his face, recognizing his innocence makes me realize how much I have taken God’s love for granted. It feels like a major slap in the face from God as I try and process what this verse really means for you and me. (I am going to ask you to let your emotions run a little bit now and maybe even shed some tears. Let God stir your heart.)
A new translation of this verse keeps coming to my mind, “For God so loves the world, that he sacrificed His one and only. For God so loves Josh, for God so loves Eli, for God so loves you.”
Could I personally give up Eli if it meant saving others? If it meant saving the world? I would like to think I would give up my own life for those I cherish, but I can’t imagine sacrificing my child.
In our country we have men and women who will sign up for our military knowing the sacrifice that may be required of them. To give up our own lives many of us would say we would do it without a doubt. “God, I will sign MY name on the dotted line, but to give up my kids, you don’t know what you’re asking.” Can you imagine God asking of us to give up our child’s life to save our city, our church, others, strangers even.
I am truly struggling with this thought right now. I know I care for others, I even love others, but I can’t fathom the depth of love it would take to offer any of my kids up for others. To willingly watch them suffer, to see the pain in their face, to see their blood shed. I don’t think, actually if I’m going to be blunt, I know I couldn’t do it.
I can only imagine Eli crying out, “Daddy, this hurts. Daddy, Help. Daddy, if there is any other way, please.” Yet, God in his infinite love for you and me, allowed Jesus, His son, to go through this agony.
Now my mind is racing thinking upon this thought of God’s love, the wheels are spinning in my mind, the smoke is pouring out from my brain as I consider this. My thoughts now turn from God’s love to how much Jesus himself loves you and me. The love he must have had, that He would willingly lay down his own life, out of submission to His Father’s plan.
John 15:13, “Greater Love has no one than this, to lay down his life for his friends.”
That he would be the perfect example of the verse he shared with his disciples. The reality hits that Jesus didn’t just talk about this type of love that he had for others. He didn’t just offer up some kind words and say, “do as I say, not as I do.” He actually lived it. When he talked about laying down His life, it didn’t just sound good, he actually did it. When he talked about forgiveness, he followed through, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Jesus lived out what he taught. He is the ultimate example.
I want to be the same way for my kids, I want to live out what I say. I want to be an example of love. I want to be an example of forgiveness.
This Easter take time and consider God’s love, Christ’s example, and what it means to you. I know I personally will never celebrate Easter the same way again.
In closing there is a worship song out that we all have probably sung, “Oh how he loves us.” Take a moment, think upon those words from the perspective of a DAD.