In one sense I do not think I will ever grasp the depth of God’s love for us but a little over two years ago I gained a glimpse into the depth of this love. My son Kenny was just two days old and was at home for his first day. Not long after arriving at home the son whom I held, loved, and cared for so much in the last two days quit breathing. I performed CPR while crying out to God and begging him not to let my son die. In short I did everything within my human ability to save my son from death. Forty-five minutes later in a trauma center my son was officially pronounced dead. For the next thirty minutes I held my son’s body wishing somehow I could change the events of the last two hours. My promise as a father was to care for and protect my son and when he needed me most, as his life was passing out of his body, I was unable to do anything to help him and yet I was willing to do anything that was possible to save him from death.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (The apostle John, John 3:16)
Here is the amazing thing: I, like all parents who love their children, would do anything for my child and yet when he needed me most I was powerless to help him. But God, who was is a Father to his Son Jesus, was more than powerful enough to save his Son from death and when his Son needed him the most God withheld his power and did nothing to save his Son from death. Why? Because he loves us!
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (The apostle Paul to the Church of Ephesus, Ephesians 3:17-19)
I guess the only question that remains is how will we respond to it?
