“I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17b-18).
For 10 years, I traveled very regularly, primarily to New York City and Chicago. One of my habits was sharing about Jesus’ love with my cab drivers. This made for some interesting conversations. Many of them were encouraging.
I encountered several who thought, or tried to convince me, that their religion and mine had the same God. They would say they even believed in Jesus. It sounded deceivingly similar. Yet, near the end of the conversation, they would work to plant a seed – a very dangerous seed that, if believed, could uproot the truth of who God is, and who Jesus is, in a person… They would say that Jesus only died because God the Father made Him, but that He didn’t want to die. One man told me directly, using scriptures out of context, that Jesus didn’t love me, that He only did what His Father made Him do.
In case you have heard this and have questioned this, or you have experienced this same objection or doubt, I want to share this crucial verse from Jesus Himself: “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17b-18).
Jesus laid down His life for you, for us, out of His own willingness, out of LOVE. He chose to do this for us for our healing, our forgiveness, and to make us right with God so we could spend forever together… “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
It is SO crucial to our peace here on earth, and to our eternity after, that we recognize the truth and depths of Jesus’ love for us. It is also crucial that we are aware that the devil will use scripture out of context to uproot our fundamental beliefs and threaten our eternity. And it is crucial we stay in the Word of God to combat that with the truth of God’s Word! Or, if you are not a Christian, talk with a Christian friend about any of these things (like me)!
Here’s the truth: God loves you! Jesus loves you! Jesus died for you from His love. And there are not multiple ways to the Father, to Heaven. There is only one way to the Father, to Heaven, and that is through your faith in Jesus Christ as LORD – not as a prophet, teacher, or good person – as Lord. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Jesus loves us so, so much, you guys. He dotes on you – no matter where you are or where you have been. He wants to spend eternity with you. After all, He created you out of His love and desire to spend time with you – together, in fact! He has changed my life, and I cannot keep quiet about what He can do. He is so, so good!
I want to encourage you that Jesus’ love for you is real. He willingly laid His life down for you because He wants to spend eternity with you. I encourage you to ask Him about His love for you today. Praying is just a conversation with God, and the Bible tells us that He is attentive to our cry: “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). He is near, and He wants to save you from any trouble because of His vast and infinite love for you!
I know I cannot live a day without Him, yet His love is more than enough for every need in my life! I pray the truth of His love permeates your heart and mind today, in Jesus’ name.
Sarah Guldalian 