He Gave

John 3:16

Abraham was 100 years old when his promised son was born. He had been waiting for 25 years for God's promise to be fulfilled. Can you imagine? We often get frustrated waiting for 25 minutes on something. The joy that Abraham and Sarah must have felt when their long awaited son was finally born. Then, God asked something audacious of Abraham. He told Abraham to take Isaac up on a mountain and sacrifice him like a lamb. Many scholars believe Isaac was around 15 years old when this happened. They had waited 25 year, enjoyed their son for 15 years, and now it appeared as though God was going to take their son from them!

Just in case you are not familiar with this story, let me give you an abbreviated version of it. Abraham did obey God. He took Isaac up on the mountain with all the supplies they needed except an obvious sacrifice. Isaac, at one point, asked Abraham where the sacrifice was. Abraham responded "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:8). They got to the top of the mountain, set up the altar, and then Abraham bound his son like a sacrifice, and laid him on the altar. Abraham was prepared to follow through with the sacrifice when God stopped him. Then he looked over, and there was a ram caught in the bushes. Abraham released his son, and then offered the ram as a sacrifice. Genesis 22:1-19

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

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The ram that was caught in the bushes was not the sacrifice that Abraham was speaking of. It was symbolic of a different sacrifice. It was symbolic of God giving "His only begotten Son". God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Trinity), were in agreement concerning the plan of salvation in Eternity past. Before they said, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3), the plan to redeem humanity was in place. Think about that patience! The Father, Son, and Spirit, had waited for all of time for Jesus to be born. His life would culminate with Him being given as the sacrifice that not only took the place of Isaac, but of all those who would call upon His name for salvation (Romans 10:13).

Think about this in light of the previous devotion I wrote, God loved sinners who had and would continue to offend Him with their sins, so much that he gave His only begotten Son! Can you imagine such a thing? What if someone asked you to sacrifice someone you love for someone who has grossly offended you with their vile behavior towards you? Can you imagine giving someone you love to die so that someone like that might live? Yet, that is exactly what God did!

Most of us think of ourselves as pretty good people. When we understand the Gospel, we realize that we are the ones that are responsible for Jesus dying on the cross. It was our sins that nailed Him to the cross. We were not the beneficiary of salvation because He died for someone worse than us — OUR sins condemn us to Hell. It does not get worse than that. I love what Morris Stancil wrote in his song Because He Loved Me:

On a hill called Calvary, Jesus my Lord suffered for me.

Carried the cross all the way my sins to atone.

Then they nailed Him to a cross, great was the pain and the loss

He suffered it all, (He suffered it all)

Because He loved me. (Because He loved me.)

CHORUS:

Because He loved me, my Savior died, on the cross was crucified No greater love for mortal man has ever been known. Oh praise His dear name, He loved me so, now I am His, He's mine, I know He suffered it all, (He suffered it all) Because He loved me. (Because He loved me.)

Father, thank You for loving us when we were unlovable. Thank You for loving us when we had offended You with our sins. Thank You for loving us enough to send Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. We are helpless and hopeless without Your love.