John 3:17-18 (NIV) - “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Do you find the world is a loveable place? We don’t need to be told that the world is messed up because we hear about what happens every day - God still loves the world. Whenever John uses the word “world,” he is using the word ‘cosmos’, which has two main definitions attached to it: first, the created world, and every human being on it; second, the sin-dominated and broken world. Therefore, the word “world” is also everything that does not love God, is against God. The world God made has turned against God and rejects His words. When we take an honest look at our personal lives, circumstances and relationships, and all that we go through - do we think we are lovely? A lot of the time, it’s difficult to love ourselves because we can’t believe some of the thoughts we have and the things we do when no one is watching, yet God loves us. We are not the good ones. We are sinful. No matter what we may think of ourselves and of others, our default setting is that we are deserving of judgment and hell bound. How foolish to think otherwise when the ache of our soul tells us so. But it’s about love-God’s love towards a sinful and broken world.

Today, spend time honestly considering where salvation comes from. It does not arise from humanity’s need of God’s salvation, for Isaiah 53 makes it clear that all have gone astray, and there is no one who seeks God. Therefore, the genesis of salvation is from God’s own heart of love and compassion. God’s love was present before our asking and recognizing our need of salvation. Let’s pray today and recognize that salvation comes from God alone.

-GK