December 7, 2017
Twice His
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever (Psalms 136:2, NIV).
Friend to Friend
The story is told of a young boy who carved a small sailboat from a block of wood. When the boat was finished, he couldn’t wait to try it out! Racing to a nearby stream, the boy gently slid the boat into the water and let it go. With a quiet reverence, the boy watched his precious boat as it floated away. He did not realize that there was an undercurrent in the stream until the boat was swept away beyond his reach. His precious boat was gone! The little boy frantically searched until there was no light but could not find his boat. With a heavy heart, the young boy headed home.
Several days later, the little boy was walking down the main street of his small town when he saw a wooden boat in the toy store window. He couldn’t believe his eyes! It was his boat! The boy raced inside and came face-to-face with the owner of the store. “Mister, that’s my boat!” he cried. The owner frowned in disbelief and said, “Young man, I just bought that boat. If you want it, you’ll have to buy it from me!” Near tears, the boy exclaimed, “Please, sir! I worked so hard on that boat, and then I lost it! It really is mine!” The owner shook his head and said, “Nevertheless, I paid good money for it and you will have to buy it back if you want it.”
The little boy raced home, emptied his piggy bank, and ran back to the store. He dumped all of his money on the counter and asked, “Is it enough?” The owner smiled and handed him the boat. The little boy cradled the precious boat in his arms and said, “Little boat, you are twice mine. Once because I made you and once because I bought you.”
God loves you. He created you. The words of Psalm 139 beautifully express the heart of God toward each one of us: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalms 139:13-16).
God loves you. He paid for your sin. God defined His unconditional and relentless love for you and for me when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a baby. And Jesus said, “Yes!” What an amazing gift! The love of God for us compelled Jesus Christ to willingly exchange a throne for a manger, divinity for humanity and Heaven for Earth.
John 3:16 (NIV) “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.”
God’s love changes everything and everyone who receives it. God’s love protects and breathes life and purpose into every minute of every day. God’s love is a gift beyond measure that surrounds us and covers us when the fire of life rains down.
God is with you – Emmanuel. He endured the cross, completely and absolutely alone because He loves you.
Absolutely no one can take your place in the Father’s heart. God knows and understands your pain. God created you and paid for your sin for one reason alone – He loves you.
Yes, you are twice His - once because He created you and once because He bought you. Celebrate His love today.
Let’s Pray
God, I need Your love. My life is filled with scars and wounds that can be healed by Your love alone. I celebrate the love You so freely offer. I accept the gift of Your love and thank You for its transforming power in my life. I love You, Father.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Read and memorize John 3:16. Record it in your journal.
John 3:16 (NIV) “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.”
Write the verse in your own words.
Write the verse and make it personal by inserting your name. For example, “For God so loved _________, that He gave His one and only Son, that if ___________ believes in Him, ______________ will have eternal life.
More from the Girlfriends
God’s love does not collapse under the weight of our sin. It doesn’t fall apart when life does. How can we experience and practice that kind of love? Mary shares her story and explains how to define, discover, and experience unconditional love in this MP3 download, Love That Never Fails.
Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
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