“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 emphasis added)
How crazy is it that the LORD God tells us this? His motivation, His reasoning, His desire, is made available to us in His Word. And that reason is love.
Out of love, He sent His only Son to earth to die a torturous and humiliating death after a life filled with the suffering and pain of this world, and all for us who were still enemies of God. And yet humans who have had their debts paid and have free salvation offered to them still choose damnation to Hell for all eternity over accepting Christ.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense when it’s put that way. That’s because to right response to unconditional sacrificial love is a reciprocation of that love and devotion as well as surrender. But the right response isn’t the only response. Our God has given us free will, the freedom to make the decision for ourselves.
We have all the information, we have the options laid out before us because in His love God created us with the ability to choose. If He didn’t, what would be the point? Mindless robots aren’t people, and God desires the hearts of people, and He pursues us rather than forces us.
God sends His Son out of love to save our souls and gives us the option of responding in love. I urge you, take hold of His outstretched hand. Respond in love. Respond in obedience, submission, and faith. There is no other way to restoration with our God than through Jesus Christ.
But you must choose. Complacency isn’t an option, lukewarm isn’t real. This “middle of the spectrum” or “casual indifference” is not a real choice. Or, rather, not the choice you may think it is. You are either moving closer to the LORD or further from Him and an apathetic faith that is not alive and actively pursuing God in response to His pursuit of us will leave you far from Him.
So this Christmas, choose to respond to Christ’s sacrificial love by giving God the relationship, glory, and obedience He deserves by choosing to press into Him as He reaches out to you. Choose to respond in love.
Still overcoming,
Hannah
Overcoming Hannah 