Jeremiah 31:3 "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'"
I John 4:9-10 "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
The Taj Mahal perches like a diamond on the plains of Agra in Northern India. It is a testimony of the incredible love of Shah Jahan, in the 17th Century, for his favorite wife. Twenty thousand workers spent sixteen years building one of the world's most elaborate and intricate buildings, which was a memorial to their great love. A poet has described the Taj Mahal as a "Monument to Eternal Love." But as Christians, we have a different monument to eternal love. The Shah’s love is represented by the Taj Mahal. God’s love is represented by the cross.
God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die a sinner's death. Jesus walked to Golgotha with the cross on His bloody back, suffering for the just and unjust. He willingly shed His blood to wash us clean. And after three days, Jesus raised up from the dead to bring us new life, everlasting life. He doesn't want a cold stone memorial; He wants us to live for Him! We are living monuments who can testify to His unconditional, eternal love.
God wants you to know how much He loves you. If you have not accepted Him as your personal Savior, you can do so today. You can be a living memorial of His love and kindness. Who can you tell today?
God, thank You for sending Your only Son to die a sinner’s death for me. Thank You for loving me unconditionally. Help me to live for You and show others how marvelous You are. Amen.