Glorious God, pour out Your grace and peace upon the needs of this dear reader. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.
Prayer Request: For the comfort and peace for the Cusanek family; Norma's stepdad, Al, died yesterday. May the Lord comfort them and calm them in their travel back for his funeral.
"The great Swiss-German theologian Karl Barth delivered one of the closing lectures of his life at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of the lecture, the president of the seminary told the audience that Dr. Barth was not well and was very tired, and though he thought Dr. Barth would like to open for questions, he probably could not handle the strain. Then he said, "Therefore, I'll ask just one question on behalf of all of us." He turned to Barth and asked, "Of all the theological insights you have ever had, which do you consider to be the greatest of them all?" This was a remarkable question to ask a man who had written tens of thousands of pages of some of the most sophisticated theology ever put on paper. the students sat with pads and pencils ready. They wanted to jot down the premier insight of the greatest theologian of their time. Karl Barth closed his eyes and though for a while. then he smiled, opened his eyes, and said to the young seminarians, "The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!" - "Let Me Tell You A Story" by Tony Campolo.
Some would consider that answer crazy, yet the only explanation we can give sometimes, are the simplest and yet most profound when it comes to explaining the concept of God loving us. That's been the point of this sermon series we've been preaching at our church based on Francis Chan's book by the same name. In our worship service we were asked about love outside the love we should receive from our moms and dads. Some responded of love by aunts/uncles, grandparents; some about love demonstrated by neighbors, some of them unknown, during family crises; and some relayed the feeling of love by "the one," the special person who later became wife or husband. Those are feeling and experiences of love difficult to put in words, but wonderful to experience. The love one feels at becoming a parent is also beyond description, but it's there. So it is with God's heart and God's love towards us.
God loves you and me, no matter what I've done or what's been done to me. When it comes to being loved by God, I may not deserve it, but I still can receive it. That is crazy! But it sure is necessary!
Today, think about how much God loves you! And what are you doing to do about it?
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for loving me. I claim that no matter what I've done or has been done to me, I still stand worthy in Your eyes of Your love for me. I receive it. I enjoy it and I will share it. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
