HE IS - I AM : LIVING OUT OF MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST!
He is Love — I am priceless.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Mar 7 He is Love - I am -priceless -LOVE lives and dies for me
Jesus Christ is in a class of his own. … but the one act that he did that supersedes all others, and ultimately portrays his character in the most explicit way is this:
he laid down his life, and died for each and every one of those people, as he did also for me, and all of mankind. p. 39 HIIA
This is the nature of Jesus, and this is the nature of his love, and for me to know I am so highly valued by Jesus that he gave his life for me is of supreme importance to me.
…. There is no greater love than the love that he has, the love that causes a person to “lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 …. He is driven by his love for me. p. 39-40
…he left every privilege he had with his Father in Heaven and entered my world. There he took on the condition of the underprivileged, the exploited and the desolate, and picked up the cause of the underdog and the weak. There he took on my sickness, pain and death, delivering me from its grip. There he took on my unforgiven-ness, hopelessness and brokenness. There his love redeemed me, took me into his household and made me what he is.
Bible Story: Matthew 16:21-26 A Jesus, Peter moment: “Get away from me Satan!”
Reflection:
I remember being this young kid walking on a country road with my family. There was this harsh metallic roar coming from the other side of the hill we were approaching. The next thing I remember is my father swooping my brother and I up off our feet and into his arms. At the same time a TransAm took air and flew over that hill like a creature of war ready to devour anything in it its path. My dad was furious. I remember that. Furious. Words came out of his mouth that I had never heard before. But more than that, I remember what if felt like on the inside to know my dad was willing to risk his life to save my life, and the life of my brother.
God did this for me. It too was a violent act of love. I was oblivious. Peter in our bible story today, he too was oblivious. Jesus wasn’t. God knew the risk, for Peter’s life, my life, and the lives of all humanity. Something had to be done. And he did it. On the cross God gave His life for mine.
This event is carved into the memory of human history. Jesus on a cross. A real story within the human narrative. More than an event from the past, this story is HIStory. And it becomes my story when by the power of the Holy Spirit I experience that moment in the present. His death on the cross is as real to me as the one I experienced with my earthly father. And I am overwhelmed, LOVE LIVES AND DIES FOR ME. This is revelation knowledge. It’s personal. My mind can’t comprehend it. But I get it on the inside.
God thinks i’m valuable…. or to quote my freind Laurie, “I am —priceless”. It’s true.
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