As we near Christmas Day, you probably have heard the historic verse several times, located in John 3:16. You might even have this verse memorized. But let’s read it again in the Amplified version: John 3:16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” The two key words there are loved and gave. God dearly loves and prizes all of us. This verse clearly shows the level and degree of His love toward us. Think about it, who would willingly sacrifice their child for someone that doesn’t even know them? Yet God sent Jesus to die for us while we were yet in rebellion and separated from Him because of sin. And in another verse, it says that we were enemies when He went to the cross: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” This is a love that I have yet to understand, but today I celebrate and receive that love. I celebrate and receive this gift that God gave us in Christ!
John 3:16 (Amplified) “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life”
