The Greatest Love

     

His Love Hung on a Tree

      It's Good Friday, and many wonder why "Good" when the most heinous crime of all time was committed on this day against the only perfect God/Man Who ever lived. As I contemplate the Passion and pain of this day, rain is pouring down outdoors. It could certainly be a very "heavy" day if our thoughts stop at the cross. But, praise God, they don't need to; in fact, they mustn't. When Jesus uttered "It is finished," I can't help thinking at least part of His meaning was that His pain was finished, His sacrifice had been made, and all that awaited Him was His glorious, rightful position at the right hand of His Father God in his heavenly home. And in that moment the same future was guaranteed for us who follow Him-- a future without pain, struggle, and tribulation. As the wonderful old hymn goes, "What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see...!"

      To me, this day is all about love, the greatest love ever known to mankind, and it challenges me both to give and to receive the purest form of love, the love that motivates us to sacrifice for others, not out of obligation or necessity, but out of compassion, of wanting only the best for someone else, of simply delighting in the presence of the other. Yes, THIS, not Valentine's Day, is the day that we should celebrate love all around the world, right down to our own household! And it all started with the crimson blood that flowed down from the heart of Jesus on that horrible wooden cross-- a thing of utmost beauty from the most horrible ugliness ever conceived by man.

      Yes, it breaks my heart to think of this ugliness, of His perfection enduring such pain for the likes of me and my sin! At the same time, my spirits soar to bathe in this unimaginable outpouring of perfect love. And He would have done it for me, if I were the only person on earth! Or for you, my friend.

      And what does He ask in return? Nothing. It's that simple. Accept the gift. Believe, and see the difference it makes in your heart. You will WANT to love others, to live differently. You'll be sorry for your sins, because you will want to please the Lover of your soul. You will love others more, because you have His love in your heart, and you can't help wanting to share it. Oh, but don't think the Enemy will stop harassing you to do evil. If he tempted the Christ, the Son of God (which he did), he will surely tempt you as soon as you give your heart to Jesus. You will fall-- we all do-- but we repent and start over with the Holy Spirit as our Armor. And we keep trusting in His love, because it is the most trustworthy of all, because this is the day He gave it all for you, and for me, and for every single person you lay eyes on, or talk to, or text, or Tweet, or think of today, every day.

      Don't you want to shout it from the rooftops? I challenge you to share it today, the perfect Love-- grab someone you pass on the street, call someone you haven't contacted in a while, share this blog with someone. There are endless ways, and I'm challenging myself, too. It may not be natural, until you think about the unimaginably great news of it, and then, how can we keep from sharing it? It IS Good Friday-- go tell someone!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

(John 15:13 KJV)

 "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

(Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)

   "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️