HE loves you so much it hurts...

when you look at these four phrases – know the height, the depth, the length and the width of GOD's love – you have the four dimensions of the cross. height, depth, width, length.

you can't really talk about the love of GOD without talking about the cross because the ultimate demonstration of love is when someone gives their life for you. greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friends.

the bible says in romans 5.8 (tev), GOD has shown how much HE loves us; it was while we were still sinners that CHRIST died for us. CHRIST died for me and for you. that is the ultimate demonstration of love.

when you go to JESUS CHRIST and say, “JESUS CHRIST, how much do YOU love me?” JESUS CHRIST stretches out HIS arms on the cross and says, “I love you this much. I love you so much it hurts.” and when you reject that kind of love and then expect GOD to let you into heaven, that is ultimate arrogance to walk away from that kind of love as if it doesn't matter. it matters! and you matter to GOD that's why HE did it.

robert coleman in his book, written in blood, tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. the doctor had explained that she had the same disease that he had recovered from two years earlier. her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

“would you give your blood to mary?” the doctor asked. johnny hesitated. his lower lip started to tremble. then he smiled and said, “sure, for my sister.”

soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room – mary, pale and thin; johnny, robust and healthy. neither spoke, but when their eyes met, johnny grinned.

as the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, johnny's smile faded. he watched the blood flow through the tube. with the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. “doctor, when do i die?”

only then did the doctor realize why johnny had hesitated­, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. he'd thought giving his blood to his sister meant giv­ing up his life. in that brief moment, he'd made his great decision.

johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. each of us however, has a condition more serious than mary's, and it required JESUS to give not just his blood, but his life.

you matter to GOD. HE loves you so much it hurts.

Just a thought from the front porch…