“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son” (Romans 5:6-10).

We all need to be reminded of the love that Jesus has for us now, and of the love that He displayed for us while on the cross. Paul tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Out of the love that God has for the world, He gave His Son.  Jesus, who knew no sin, loved us so much that He became the offering for sin, and it is through Him that we are able to be reconciled back to our heavenly Father. Sometimes it seems as if fallen man wants to push the limits of God’s grace and love—maybe, just to see how deep His love is for us? There is no greater love than that of Jesus being hung on a cross for us when we didn’t deserve it. Jesus tells us in John 15, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for His friends.”

Have you ever done something that hurt someone so deeply that they pulled back in their relationship with you or vice versa? Peter tells us in his writings that we all have an adversary called the Devil. He seeks to destroy lives and relationships because he hates God, and God is love. Satan also hates what God loves, and God loves you so much. Even though Satan attempted to pit God against us by seducing us with sin (he thought that we might provoke God to wrath with our sin), God didn’t allow sin to keep us separated.

Satan doesn’t just provoke God by seducing us to indulge in the pleasures of sin; our adversary also provokes us to be angry with God. For once we start to reap the wages of sin, people often blame God. If you really want to see the hatred of Satan, then contrast his ways to those of Jesus on the cross. Not only did Satan attempt to destroy us through our own rebellious actions, but he sought to destroy Jesus when He came to save us from our sins; if that isn’t pure hatred, then I don’t know what is.

As you meditate on God’s love, consider the Words of Jesus found in John 15: 14 – 17 NKJV: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Jesus didn’t just tell the world that He loved us; He demonstrated it through His death on the cross. As His friends, we are required to demonstrate our love for Him by keeping His sayings and loving each other. By this, He will know that we truly love Him or not. You see, it takes God or God’s love in our hearts to fulfill what Jesus requires of us to be His friends. “Jesus, the Friend of sinners,” is what they called Him while He was on the earth, and that still stands true today.  —submitted by Asa Dockery, US