The crux of our faith is so simple:... 5that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us-Jesus,6who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.

That is the best news that we, as sinners, could ever hear.

We simply cannot get rid of the burden of sin on our own. The result of sin was that we couldn't get to God. Because of sin, we actually try and get away from God.

Yes, sin caused a valley so wide and deep to open up between us and God that we would never have reached God. There is absolutely nothing that mankind could ever do to reach God. When we sin, whether it's a little white lie or fraud, whether it's stealing or murder, or simply not doing what God wants us to do - it only makes the valley deeper and wider. No good deed or even ten or a thousand could fill the valley between us and God.

Understand this: Man cannot do anything to right what he did wrong. There is no eraser for sin, nothing that man can use to get rid of sin. A horrible story with a horrible end.

But thank God that He overflows with love for his creatures. He cannot keep himself from saving mankind. Thank God for sending his Son to build the bridge for mankind so that we have a chance to escape eternal death.

There's this drawing of man standing on one side of the deep valley. There is no way that man can get to the side where God is. In the next box is a drawing of Jesus' cross forming the bridge over the valley. In the third drawing man walks across Jesus' cross to get to God's side.

The message of salvation is simple. But we can never take the price that was paid for it lightly. God's Son not only had to humble himself by coming to earth, He also had to allow people to kill Him.

Jesus was the only solution for the difficult situation in which mankind found itself. You see, only someone with no sin could qualify for this task and only Jesus is without sin. I wonder what Jesus was thinking when He and God decided that He would have to give his life for a bunch of sinners. Fortunately, God and Jesus have so much love that nothing could stop them from putting this rescue plan into action.

Wow! Do you realise how special you are that God was prepared to sacrifice his Son for you, so that He could build the bridge for you to cross to God's side?

If you realise that, you will have no choice but to overflow with gratitude every day. Then you and I want to, will, can, may look for places and ways to show our gratitude everywhere to make a difference in other people's lives.

Scripture

1 Tim 2:1-7

Reflection

Do you understand what God has done for you? 
Is God's salvation part of you? 
How do you live it?

Prayer

Father, You have such great love for me. Thank you seems so inadequate. I am so grateful; I want to live it every single moment. Everywhere I go I will look for ways to live my gratitude for your love. Amen.