"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." I'm sure many would say that this is the greatest and most loved verse in the Bible! In Acts 20:35, Jesus, Himself, said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The theme of giving is very prominent in the Bible, and I read in a devotional article that words like "give, gift, gave, etc. occur more than 2,100 times." It is interesting that the first time is in the very first chapter of Genesis when God created the sun, moon and stars "to give light upon the earth", and the last time is in the very last chapter of the very last book in the Bible -- when Christ will return with His rewards to "give every man according as his work shall be."
But the sweetest and greatest gift was when God gave Himself for a lost and dying world. Of course, this was not the end of His giving! In I Timothy, we are admonished to "Trust . . . in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." Isn't that a lovely verse!!
We know that this wonderful gift of God is abundantly sufficient to provide salvation and everlasting life for the whole world! But a gift only becomes a gift when it is accepted, and it is so sad that this greatest of all gifts has been spurned, and ridiculed, and ignored by so many who need it so much!
As we look to the coming Lord's Day, may we take time to contemplate this great gift---the wonderful love of God for you and me so that "He spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all."
"What shall I give Thee, Master? Thou hast given all for me.
Not just a part or half of my heart -- I will give all to Thee!"
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