This morning we were looking at the first three verses of 1 John 3. Here is what the first half of verse 1 says: “See what kind of (how great the) love the Father has given to (lavished on) us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!”
I must admit that I often struggle with really believing this because I know my sin. Why should God choose to love me? This verse speaks of a gift so precious that the part of me that has become cynical struggles to embrace it. When the day comes that we move into the new Jerusalem and walk the streets of gold with the redeemed of all the ages, will the Lamb who is the lamp actually desire to be with me? It is too much to hope for!
But that’s the glory of the gospel, isn’t it? While we were still God’s enemies He saved us and adopted us as His children. John says in verse 2: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” And John tells us in Revelation that “He will wipe away every tear.” Sounds pretty intimate to me.
Finally, remember that’s the kind of love that our families are to be reflections of. Do we love our kids that much?
