| Weekend, February 19 & 20 "I Love You"--The Surprise of God's Love But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 Jesus shocked His Jewish audience when He replaced the non-biblical idea of hating one's enemies with the New Testament idea of loving them (Matthew 5:43). The Jewish tradition of hating one's enemies had achieved Scripture-like status among the Jews--a status Jesus debunked. The apostle Paul took that teaching a step further when he pointed out that it would be a rare occasion when someone might die for another person--even a righteous person (Romans 5:7), much less an enemy. Who would die for an enemy? God did, Paul said. God demonstrated His love for us--His enemies (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21)--by dying for us. So when God says, "I love you," He is saying He chose to love someone who, before being reconciled to Him through faith in Christ, was His enemy. What a shock to the world's system! The world thinks it's normal to love our friends but not to love (hate) our enemies. Yet God's love is counter cultural again. God loves friends and enemies, as should we. If there is someone unlovely in your life today, surprise him with your love. You never so touch the ocean of God's love as when you forgive and love your enemies.
Corrie ten Boom Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 26:42-31:54  | 
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