Several nights ago, I was watching a television program about the origin of the universe. Some very, very intelligent people were trying to explain how all matter in the universe came from nothing. Well, not exactly nothing–all matter came from energy. And it all happened–get this–in a millionenth of a millionenth of a millionenth of a second.
I didn’t watch long enough to learn where they believe the energy came from.
I’m not sure if it was more amusing or sad to watch these incredibly intelligent, gifted men and women trying to figure out the universe…apart from God. They’ve given their lives to the study of science, but have completely missed the Intelligent Designer behind the science.
On second thought–it’s more sad. Because not only have they missed the truth–they’ve also missed the Love.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.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 the one who would turn aside His wrath, taking away our sins. (1 John 4:7-10)
Stop for a moment and think about this…
The universe didn’t just happen–there was an eternal Being who created it. He spoke everything into existence. (By the way, at least for me, that requires a lot less faith than believing that everything came from nothing and therefore has no meaning.)
Don’t miss the wonder of that. An eternal Being. ETERNAL. No beginning. Always been there. Never a time that He wasn’t. It’s not just that He’ll exist forever into the future–He has existed forever in the past. If that doesn’t blow your mind then nothing will.
Not only that, but this eternal Being has revealed Himself to us. He came to earth, lived among us and showed us what He’s like. And He showed us what love is.
Jesus Christ, the eternal God, allowed us to nail Him to a cross. Why? So that He could turn aside the Father’s wrath from us.
That’s love.
We rebelled. We turned our backs on God. All of us. We’re all guilty. We went our own way rather than God’s way and that earned punishment.
Some will say, “You mean just because we don’t believe in Jesus–we earn God’s punishment?”
The question presupposes that “just because we don’t believe in Jesus” isn’t really a big deal. The presupposition is wrong though. Not believing in Jesus isn’t just a big deal, it’s THE deal. Maybe the ONLY deal.
We were created by an eternally existent, loving God to live in relationship with Him. If we miss that then we’ve missed everything. It’s our reason for being.
One last thought…
Because of sin, God the Father sent God the Son to suffer and die a horrible, humiliating death in our place. If our sin arouses that kind of wrath in a loving God–it must be a much more serious thing than we realize. And to remain in an unforgiven state results in the full wrath of God being poured out on us…for eternity.
Have you placed your faith in Christ to forgive your sin? If not, do it now. Experience His love. Now and forever.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. I know someone who did.