Friday; July 30
One of the most popular verses in the Bible is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”. This was one of the first verses many of us learned to quote and it has brought comfort to millions of others who were searching for meaning in life and deliverance from sin. While this is such a popular verse, have you noticed how odd it is (at least in the modern world)? This passage points out that God – who is superior and almighty focused His attention on others, not Himself. His love was directed at others (even those who would never agree with Him). His concern was equal for everyone, not partisan for His followers. Secondly, the way that God showed His love was through sacrifice. He gave up His most prized possession – His Son. He didn’t collect taxes or tariffs from those who were lesser than Him, He bestowed grace and mercy on people – including those who would reject His gift