“I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
“Jesus loves us so much He was willing to die, because He doesn’t want to live without us” (Max Lucado). It is an awesome thought that the God of the Universe wants to spend eternity with you and me. God took the initiative. He paid the price. Then He gave us the choice.
It is recorded in Luke 19:41 that Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Matthew records Jesus’ words in Matthew 23: 37-39, which to me are some of the saddest words in the Bible, “but you were not willing.” Jesus longed to gather His children together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but He allowed them the option of saying, “No”.
What a powerful thing it is that God allows us a choice, even when He knows we will make the wrong choice. What an amazing thing it is that God goes to such enormous lengths to redeem us, and then allow us the freedom to reject Him.
God’s love is not manipulative and controlling, but freeing. It is our decision whether or not, we respond to that love. No one can make the decision for us and no one can take the choice from us. Not to respond to God’s love, results in Jesus’ saying, “but you were not willing.”
As we consider these things remember, Jesus died because He didn’t want to live without you.
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