God's Love Gift

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."(NIV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.(KJV)

In 1971 Tim Clay had a hit song. It was number 61 in the top 100 on February 14, 1971. The words of the song were, "What the world needs now is love sweet love, not just for some but for everyone." I have often wondered if the person who wrote this song ever read this verse. In the love gift of Jesus Christ provided by God for the world we have been given love in abundance. All the love we need can be fond at the cross! Love to save. Love to heal. Love to deliver. Love that will bring you peace with God and peace with mankind. We don’t have the capacity to love anyone apart from the love of God. Wives can not love their husbands right apart from the love of God. Husbands can not love their wives right apart from the love of God. Mothers and fathers can not love their children right apart from the love of God. Children can not love their parents right apart from the love of God. Brother and sisters can not love each other right apart from the love of God. It is in discovering God’s love for us that we learn how to love each other. I can see why the theme of this popular 1971 hit song seems so true to so many. They were simply unaware of the love gift provide by God. They are caught in the allusion that what the world needs now is love when in reality God has met that need. There are five phrases in this verse when properly understood will change your life and your song!

For God so loved the world…

The word so is a small but powerful word. It says that the limitless love of the most high God is lavished upon this lowdown world. It says that the unimpeachable love of the inimitable God is bestowed upon an unworthy world. It says that the holy love of the Most Holy God is directed to the most unholy world. It says that the perfect love of the Pure and Righteous God is extended to an imperfect world. It says that the pardoning love of a Merciful God is given to a condemned world. It says that the reclaiming love of the God of reconciliation is given to a degenerating world. It says that the gracious love of the God of grace is directed to a world in disgrace. For God so love the world. I think it not improper to personalize this phrase. For God so love Gregory! I don’t know about you but I am so glad that God so loves me! I was sinking deep in sin….

That He gave…

Love is never content to simply exist. Love must act. Love is a word of action. Love proves it’s self by what it does. Love that does not serve is seduction. Love that does not listen is a lie. Love that does not provide is a phony. Love that does not fulfill is a fake. Love that does not give is a gimmick. God so loved the world that He gave. That is action! He did not give because the world was worthy. He did not even give because the world was needed. He gave because He so loved! That is grace! In this act of love we get an example of divine giving. The single motivation for His giving is His love for us. We ought give Him our time, talent, testimony, and tithe just because we so love Him! O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus, because He first love me.

His only begotten Son….

In this phrase we see the quality of the gift of God. God’s love for us not only motivated Him to give but He gave us the best that He had. He not only gave us the best but He gave the only Son that He had. There was none other like Him. He is one of a kind! God is giving us a divine example of the principle of sowing and reaping. God gave the one Son He had in order to gain many sons and daughters. Through the blood of one He now have many sons and daughters. However, in order to gain God had to give. If nothing in your life has ever touch you this ought to. I will give God my best simply because He gave me His best. We ought to understand that you can’t beat God’s giving. The more you give the more He gives to you. Just keep on giving and you find it’s really true.