(John 3:16)
A runner in a marathon race crosses the line and finishes fourth. “He gave it his all,” the coach says.
A little girl’s eyes widen as she sees her dad open his wallet and take out all the cash – four $20 bills – and drop it into the offering plate. “He gave all his money,” she thinks to herself.
In these examples, it isn’t really “all”. It may be a lot, but for the runner, there is always a little more strength and energy to draw upon. Otherwise, he would drop over dead! The dad isn’t really broke or bankrupt. There is money in savings or checking he could use and there is always another paycheck coming.
But when God gave, he did give His all. He gave with no reservations. There were no back-up sons to send later. He has only one Son, yet He willingly gave Him up to be the world’s Savior from sin. God gave the most lavish gift the world has ever seen. He gave His gift to you and me!
Because His gift was perfect for you, solving all your basic spiritual needs – forgiveness of sins, life, salvation, freedom from guilt and then some – you surely want to give God a gift in return. You can do that! St. Paul tells you to live your whole life as a gift to God by dedicating everything you do to His glory…but remember, you’re not doing this to earn your way into God’s good graces. You are merely saying, “Thank you, God! You really did give Your all so that I could be Yours.”
Everything about God’s gift was unique. No one else compares with God’s Son. Nothing else compares with His act of salvation. Never before nor since Jesus has a baby been born of a virgin. Since Adam, no man has ever lived a sin-free life but Jesus. No one has been able to perform the miracles He did. Though individuals other than Jesus may have died for the sake of another, their sacrifices, no matter how noble, did nothing about sin. Not one person who has died has ever come back to life on his own. Not one, except Jesus.
Jesus’ resurrection was the absolute proof that through Him and what He did, God accomplished for us what we could never hope to do on our own: overcome sin and death and make us fit for Heaven.
God “gave His all” because He loves you. A woman once told her pastor that she did not think she was saved because she did not love God enough, the pastor simply replied, “That doesn’t matter. He loves you.”
Engrave these words in your memory. Hang them on the wall of your heart:
God Loves You
The cross is all the proof you need.
Have a blessed Easter month,
Pastor John