For God So Loved the World

Daily Reading

Psalm 108-114

Daily Thought

In Psalm 108, David sings of the love of God, “For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Psalm 108:4). God’s love is so great, sings David, the world can hardly contain it. 

I love ice cream. It gives me pleasure. I love things that give me pleasure. I should admit, then, that I do not love spumoni ice cream. You see, my love is conditional. I love ice cream, but only the kind I like. 

That is one kind of love, my kind of love. 

There is another kind: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God hates evil, and we are covered in it. We reject and rebel against our own Creator, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the one true God, and still he loves us. He loves us completely, to the death. What is amazing is not that the love of God reaches to the heavens, but that it touches earth; “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). With all due respect to David, this is an even greater measure of God’s love:

“For God so loved the world…” ~John 3:16.

Daily Prayer

Amazing God, You deserve the worship of all creation. Yet, so often, I forget about You. Many choose to ignore you. Some even hate You. And still, You love us, die for us, and offer us salvation. We reject Paradise and You invite us back. Truly, You are love.

I am able to love, God, because You first loved me. I pray that my love for the world always and fully reflects Your love for the world.

Amen

Daily Question

How do you love someone you’re not really sure you even like?