Just imagine if that kid became bold enough to ask the most popular girl in school to go to the prom with him. Why, there would be outrage! How dare he even think that she might go anywhere with him! The general school population would be shocked and horrified. But just imagine another scenario: what if the most popular girl in school decided to not look when she went to cross the road. The unpopular boy sees that a transport truck is barreling down on the crosswalk and can't stop in time. He has seconds to decide what to do. And without a second thought for his own life, the unpopular boy runs and pushes the popular girl out of the way and lets the truck hit his body instead. He gave his life for the girl.
The next day at school the hallways are buzzing with the story. There's shock and disbelief. Some girls might even think that the story would have been so much more romantic if the boy had been a football jock willing to give his life for the most popular girl in the school. Instead she had to be saved by 'him'. Who was he anyway? Why would he do something like that? Maybe we should have got to know him when we could have. The students are left wondering if, faced with the same situation, they would have had the courage to do the same thing. Can you imagine?
Can you imagine leaving the splendor of Heaven, where everything is perfect and beautiful, where the street is made out of pure gold? Can you imagine choosing to leave gates of pearl and walls made out of precious stones where a rainbow encircles your Father's throne? Can you imagine leaving all that to go to live with a people who would despise you; who would hurt you time and time again? Can you imagine knowing that you would be ridiculed and rejected, yet you choose to go anyway?
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 53:3-4 that Jesus was: "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted." Even though He knew He would be despised and held in low esteem, Jesus still chose to die for us. He gave His life for people who considered Him an outsider; people who would hide their face from Him. Can you imagine?
Why would He do that? Why would He come to an ungrateful people who hated Him and willingly lay down His life for them? We deserved the punishment of death. We were the ones who had sinned. He was without sin, but He took our sins upon Himself and willingly paid the price. Why? He did it because He knew it was the only way. Without Someone paying the penalty for our sins, we could never be reconciled with the Father.
So He chose to lay down on that cross and allow the men He had created to drive long spikes into His hands and feet. He could have moved. He could have called angels to come and deliver Him. He could have refused. But He didn't. Can you imagine? This wasn't a rash decision. He knew from the beginning of the world what He had to do to save mankind. He loves us that much! Even though He knew we would reject Him, spit on Him and revile Him, He still loved us. He willingly gave His life so that we could live eternally. Can you imagine?
He left the splendor of heaven
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha
There to lay down His life for me
If that isn't Love
The ocean is dry
There's no stars in the sky
And the sparrow can't fly
If that isn't Love
Then heaven's a myth
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love
Even in death He remembered
The thief hanging by His side
He spoke with love and compassion
Then He took him to paradise
If that isn't Love
The ocean is dry
There's no stars in the sky
And the sparrow can't fly
If that isn't Love
Then heaven's a myth
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love
Dottie Rambo: If That Isn't Love
Post a Comment