I have come to deeply cherish the season of Lent. There is an inherent increase of intimacy when you take Lent seriously. This is a time of realizing that your God has died for you, that you could not do it on your own, and that you were in need. The cross was ugly; it was meant to condemn. But it redeemed. It glorified. It made new.
And, on this second day of Lent, it is also Valentine's Day. The joy in my heart has far exceeded capacity. And not just because I have the most talented, beautiful, encouraging, inspiring, funny, bright, supportive, passionate friends in the entire world. But because I have a Savior who has awakened me to His love, and to His life.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
Christ didn't love us because we were easy to love, and He didn't die for us because we were worth it. We were rebellious and impossible, and utterly unworthy.
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
Not that we have loved God but that He loved us.
He loved us
Oh, that we might dwell on those three words today.
He loved us enough to leave sacrifice His Son, to leave His Father in the heavens.
He loved us enough to be criticized and called a demon and a blasphemer.
He loved us enough to be beaten and mocked and spat on and harassed.
He loved us enough to hang, bleeding, struggling to breathe.
He loved us enough to take our sin and give us His righteousness in exchange.
He loved us enough to raise us to new life with Him.
He loved us
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