God paid a tremendous price for us to be able to be saved

Love Overflowing

 

Haley to Dad: “Dad, did you feel the same excitement after each of your children was born?”  (Haley is the fourth of four children in our family.)

 

Dad to Haley:  “Absolutely!”

 

Haley asked this question on the day that our oldest daughter, Britney, gave birth to a baby boy – the first child born to Britney and Clint – and our first grandchild: Lincoln Ross Mitchell!

 

As a postscript to our discussion, I added: “But when your children have children of their own…”  I couldn’t complete my answer because the tears began to flow.  I struggled to find words to describe the magnitude of my love and gratitude for our new grandson.

 

Now I think I understand why so many grandparents had been telling me that “there’s nothing like having grandchildren!”

 

Here is what I’ve realized: when that little one that you and your spouse joyfully welcomed into the world as her parents, that you loved and raised to adulthood, the one for whom you have always wanted the very best, and that you couldn’t love any more than you do… then has a child of her own – a child that you also get to love, cherish, and SPOIL…  (I’m smiling.)  When you get to see your child experience the wonder of bringing a baby into the world and see her life changed by having the privilege of caring for her child and begin the process of raising him to be a good, godly man like his Daddy…  Then the love that you have for your own child (and ALL of your children) and this grandchild just overflows!

 

Is this what you were trying to tell me, grandparents?

 

I don’t think my heart could be any fuller!

 

I wonder if this may give us a hint as to how God feels when someone makes the decision to accept His offer of salvation and become a child of God by being born again into His family.  After all, we belong to God because He created us in His image (Genesis 1:26-27).  But then, even though we’ve marred that image due to our sins, He still loves us, desires to save us, and wants to add us to His family (see Romans 5:8-10; 1 Timothy 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-22).

 

And when we accept His offer of salvation on His terms, He joyfully welcomes us into His family!

 

God paid a tremendous price for us to be able to be saved and become a part of His family.  He gave His one and only Son (Jesus) to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).  It was because of His great love for us that He gave His Son for us (Romans 5:8).

 

God will save, add to His family, and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

 

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1 NIV).  It is love overflowing.

 

Won’t YOU accept His loving offer through your trusting obedience?

 

-- David A. Sargent, Lincoln’s “Bug” (Grandpa)