An Overwhelming Love

(John 15:13) “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Life throws a lot our way; family problems, financial problems, health problems, emotional problems and problems with people in general. Jesus suffered all of that for us. He said, “The Son of Man has no place to lay His head,” He came as a servant so as to understand the same issues that we face. (Hebrews 2:17) “For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

He suffered problems with people, the Pharisees and Sadducees were so scared of loosing their standing, the praise of men, that they continually gave Him trouble. He had emotional problems, He withdrew to Himself in the Garden to pray and His heart was so overwhelmed that as He prayed “His sweat was as drops of blood.” Our Lord was beaten beyond human recognition, He was spit on and a crown of thorns hung on His head causing the thorns to dig into His forehead and blood ran down His face. He did this for us. (Isaiah 59:16-17) “He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.”

So, remember the next time you are going through a rough patch and experiencing a great deal of turmoil that Jesus went through it too and He understands. Remember that He is there for you and will deliver you; “the Lord watches over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.” Remember what He went through to bring you salvation and the overwhelming love He has for all of us and what a faithful God we serve. (Psalm 145:13) “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.”

Remember and take to heart that if He loved you so much that He died for you, that He will deliver you from this trial as well. If He allows it, like any good parent, it is to teach you something, to draw something out of your heart that He did not plant and is harmful to your character, it is to mold you into His likeness or it is a consequence of something you chose beyond His wishes and are now reaping what you have sowed. In all of it; it is out of love to transform you into a more loving, trusting, forgiving, humble, generous child of God. We go “from glory to glory.”

The trials of life are what He uses to transform us not only for our character, but also for a purpose that He has already planned out. The trials He allows will draw a passion out of you for His purpose that you may not have had otherwise. Remember as you go through your next trial and instead of complaining, ask God instead, “What are you trying to teach me?” Remember the death He experienced and the overwhelming love He has for you that caused Him to die for you in the first place and just trust Him.

(Romans 5:8) “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”