13 APRIL
IT IS A THING MOST WONDERFUL!
“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10, )
God is Love. He created us in His love, as objects to express His love. In spite of our sins, God loves us, even though He hates our sins. He is holy and abhors sin. In His love, God proffered a permanent solution to the problem of man’s disobedience by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to come and live as man, die to destroy sin and death, and resurrect to eternity, giving us life on earth and eternity to express His everlasting and unconditional love. His love gives us free choice to respond with love.
What is your choice? Hymn:
| 1 | It is a thing most wonderful, almost too wonderful to be, that God’s own Son should come from heaven, and die to save a child like me. | 5 | But even could I see him die, I could but see a little part of that great love, which, like a fire, is always burning in his heart |
| 2 | And yet I know that it is true: he chose a poor and humble lot, and wept, and toiled, and mourned, and died, for love of those who loved him not. | 6 | It is most wonderful to know his love for me so free and sure; but ‘tis more wonderful to see my love for him so faint and poor |
| 3 | I cannot tell how he would love a child so weak and full of sin; his love must be most wonderful, if he could die my love to win. | 7 | And yet I want to love thee, Lord; O light the flame within my heart, and I will love thee more and more, until I see thee as thou art. |
4 I sometimes think about the cross, and shut my eyes, and try to see the cruel nails and crown of thorns and Jesus crucified for me
Words: William Walsham How (1823–1897), 1872
ACTION: Respond to God’s wonderful love with thanksgiving and deeper devotion to Him.
PRAYER: Lord, please teach me to love you more and more.