This past year, some of our dear friends from college had a baby that was born at only 25 weeks gestation. She is happy and thriving today due to the care of excellent doctors and the best medical technology has to offer but none of that was possible without physical, emotional, and monetary sacrifice. More than once when we talked to her parents, they said that they would give anything they had or work for the rest of their lives to allow her to get the care she needed to have the best life possible. Without a doubt, they would have sacrificed whatever was required to keep her alive.
Their love for her was such a poignant example of Christ’s love to me. She was totally helpless without them. There was literally nothing she could give them in return but that didn’t matter. She was worth any expense to save simply because of who she was, their daughter, a creation in their image, part of their family. Isn’t that just how it is for us with Christ? Only add sin onto our helpless state. We are God’s creations, his children, in his image, valued members of his family. Christ went to the cross to save us simply because of who we are to him. He knew that many would reject and scorn him, never allowing themselves to be saved but he went anyway. He knew the pain of the sacrifice before it was made but still faced the wrath of God on our behalf.
He knew that you were worth laying down his life to save simply because of who you are. My fond hope is that when you see the cross this week, you realize just how valuable and loved you are. Sunday is coming. Rejoice in God’s great love and salvation.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 18:1-4 (NIV)
Adventures of Our Own 