The Gift of God’s Love

Talifolau Veikoso survived five heart attacks by age 39. In 2016, he became the recipient of a donor heart. “I got a second chance,” said Veikoso. “Without that donor heart, I wouldn’t be here. It’s the best gift anyone can have.” A single organ donor has the potential to save up to eight lives and transform as many as 100. The beautiful gift of organ donation saves the lives of thousands of people every year.

In today’s passage, we are reminded of an even greater gift. God gave us the incredible gift of His love. He gave the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, so we could live. There is an urgency to this gift. Just like a donor heart arriving when a patient is about to die, God’s gift came “at just the right time” (v. 6).

Consider the fact that rarely will anyone willingly give up their life for another person. Yet, while we were undeserving in our sin, rebellious “enemies” of God (v. 10), Christ gave His life for us (v. 8).

This undeserved gift of God’s love rescues, saves, and transforms us. As the passage explains, we existed in a state of death since Adam. Through the fateful act of Adam and Eve, sin came to all people, and therefore we were all condemned. Sin is the common denominator of humanity, the common ailment of us all. No one is exempt (Rom. 3:10).

The good news is that God provided an incredible gift of salvation through His Son. We didn’t have to become good enough to deserve God’s love. It was freely given to us. Every sinner can receive “God’s abundant provision” through Jesus Christ (v. 17). “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8).

Pray with Us

Join us in prayer today for Moody Radio’s administration team. Thank God for the diligent service of Elsa Mazón, Lucrecia Lopez, Maureen Ber, Scott Krus, and Tinakka Johnson. May their radio ministry bring glory to God!

BY Jamie Janosz

Jamie Janosz serves as a content development manager for Moody Bible Institute. She writes monthly devotionals for Today in the Word and has published non-fiction essays with Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog. Recently Jamie wrote a book titled When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up (Moody Publishers). Jamie studied theology and writing at Moody Bible Institute, Columbia College, and Illinois State University. She lives on the Atlantic coast of Florida with her husband, Milt, and daughter, Sabrina.