Psychologists and counselors agree that one’s observable actions of another person, not just his or her spoken or written words, provide the evidence that the person truly loves you. We’ve heard it over and over that God is love (1 John 4:8), and that He loves us with an unfailing love (Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 2:4). But how can we be sure that God’s love is real?
The apostle John writes, “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16). From the original Greek language, this is rendered, “His Son, the only begotten, He gave,” emphasizing the incredible nature of the gift. “Only begotten,” used and described in John 1:14 and 18, means “unique, one of a kind and no one is His equal.” But who exactly is God’s “only begotten Son”? What’s so unique about Him?
From the start of his gospel, John reveals that Jesus is God Himself who became human like us (John 1:1), to live with us (John 1:14; also Matthew 1:23), in order to save us (John 3:17; also Matthew 1:21). Removing all doubts that He Himself is God, Jesus said, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30). “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9).
To offer one’s self is the greatest gift anyone can give. And God did exactly that. He gave the greatest gift—Himself, and His very best—His very life, to show how much He loves us (John 15:13). Here we see the amazing generosity and compassion found within God’s heart. He “showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Jesus demonstrated the depth and intensity of God’s unfathomable love.
The best gift of all is Jesus. “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Colossians 2:1-15
More:
Read Romans 5:1-10 to see how much God loves us.
Next:
If God has shown by His action how much He loves you, how can you show that you love Him too? How should you respond to such a great love?
Gary Shultz on December 5, 2016 at 5:51 am
Hi KT: If I may, I would agree that the gift was unique, it was a gift of love, it was very great, and the part that speaks to me is He gave His life. The gift was very costly, matter of fact no greater price will ever be paid for any other gift. I don’t think I am capable of grasping much of that payment transaction. If there will be no greater, we have witnessed the grandest gesture of love to ever be made.
The nice thing God does not step back from purchase He fortifies it for a future of His love and goodness. Yes, God does in return ask for our obedience, which we often think is too large of a request. We may want to reconsider that stance. “If you do whatever I command you” sounds so demanding, really, God is always working it towards us. So we out of a heart of gratitude obey with joy and anticipation of joining Him in His work. And of course in His work is the reflection of God’s love to others. It is the greatest gift of love. Thanks KT
Tom Felten on December 5, 2016 at 10:13 am
Gary, I really liked how you honed in on obedience and how it reveals our love for Jesus (John 14:21). It would be something far different if obedience came out of fear of a malevolent god or to simply appease a cold and distant god, but in Jesus—Emmanuel—we have One who not only loves us and is present with us . . . He also gave His very life for us. That’s love that defies words!
gagirllive on December 5, 2016 at 7:11 am
Hi, K. T. I agree with the psychologists and counselors on this one. It is experiential love—love demonstrated in measurable ways—that convinces us of its reality. No greater love has been demonstrated than that of God taking the form of man so that He could pay redemption’s price in order that we might be reconciled to Him. Makes me want to sing one of my favorite hymns…”What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul? What wondrous love is this, O my soul? What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul—to bear the dreadful curse for my soul? When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down—when I was sinking down, O my soul—when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul—Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.” Now that’s real love. Yes, praise God for His indescribable Gift to us! Thank you for this, K. T. Grace and peace today, beloved sojourners.
Tom Felten on December 5, 2016 at 10:05 am
So true, gagirl. Love experienced is love received! And as I read the wonderful lyrics you referred to I couldn’t help but think of these: “Amazing love, how can it be? That You, my King would die for me? Amazing love, I know its true. It’s my joy to honor You. In all I do, I honor You.”
gagirllive on December 5, 2016 at 10:29 am
Amen, Tom. Sadly, many believers still do not see themselves as “the disciple whom Jesus loves”. It’s transforming when that happens. Thanks for the reminder of another great song! Getting my praise on today! 🙂
Tom Felten on December 5, 2016 at 10:43 am
Me too!
minkjh on December 5, 2016 at 10:56 am
“But how can we be sure that God’s love is real” is a question worthy of consideration. Love is one of those words that can get tossed around in a variety of ways and meanings, but when we examine God’s love we enter a whole different realm of comprehension. Scripture provides us with the opportunity to gain greater understanding of the uniqueness of the depth of God’s love. His is a love that is infinite, sacrificial, volitional, passionate, and eternal. Those attributes speak of the awesome majesty of the God who is praiseworthy of our love and devotion.
gagirllive on December 5, 2016 at 11:20 am
Amen, minkjh! Praying Ephesians 3: 18 for us all today!
shuish on December 5, 2016 at 4:15 pm
This is a good article however “Only begotten” does not mean unique, one of a kind and no one is His equal. Begotten is the past participle of beget which means (typically of a man, sometimes of a man and a woman) bring (a child) into existence by the process of reproduction or to bring about.
So what his only begotten son means is that Jesus is the only child which he brought about.
gagirllive on December 5, 2016 at 4:56 pm
Shuish, thank you for weighing in on the conversation today. May I challenge your thinking on what you’ve shared? Jesus is not a “created” being. He was not brought into existence or “begotten” by human production. He is God incarnate. He has always existed eternally as part of the Godhead, the Trinity. The word “begotten” in our English Bibles is translated from the Greek word, “monogenes”. It means “pertaining to being the only one of its kind…unique in class and nature”. For example, the same word is used in Hebrews 11: 17 speaking of Isaac as the “only begotten son” of Abraham. How can this be? We know that Ishmael was born before Isaac and that Abraham went on to have other children. It is because Isaac is the son of promise. He was “unique” among the other sons because he was the son of the covenant God made with Abraham. Jesus really is the “unique, one of a kind, no one is His equal” Son of God because He shares the same divine nature as God but in human flesh. That’s what’s so awesome about His incarnation! He is so special! Even though we are sons and daughters of God through the new birth and adoption, Jesus is the One and Only Son of God. This is what I think about when I hear “O Holy Night” and all the wonders of what Christmas really means. A blessed season to you, friend.
hsnpoor on December 5, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Amen & Amen! BTW, that photo accompanying this devotion is priceless! Love it!
gagirllive on December 5, 2016 at 7:49 pm
Isn’t that just the sweetest picture, Kim? I love it too!
godlove on December 6, 2016 at 1:50 am
Too wonderful for words indeed, is God’s gift of Jesus, His own Son, sacrificed so that we may have eternal life. In order for us to live, God allowed His own Son to be slain as sacrificial lamb, suffering in the hands of sinful man. There is truly no greater love than what God, through Jesus Christ, did for mankind. I think it is very difficult to actually return God’s Love in any form or manner. The best we can do is to demonstrate our gratitude and respond to His Love through obedience and by being completely devoted to God. His is unfathomable love indeed, as the praise song we sing at church goes (this is in our local form of pidgin English):
“This kind Love oh – I never see Your kind oh;
This kind Love oh – Blessed be Your Holy Name”
To clarify, that can roughly be put in plain English as: “How great is this Love, I have never seen Your sort of Love; How great is this Love, I/We praise Your Holy Name”.
Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! Amen and amen, K.T.