Love at Great Risk!

by Kendra Scott
@thekendrascott 

If I were the only sinner to live on earth at any appointed time, and all the world was saved and righteous, Jesus still would have come to the earth, died a horrendous criminal's death on a cross, and resurrected from the dead on my behalf, just so that I (the only sinner on earth) might have the opportunity to be saved. Salvation would not be automatic. I would still have to choose to follow Jesus. Nevertheless, Jesus would still come for me (for you) alone!

Jesus would do all this on the chance that I might love Him in return. Jesus' coming for me would not guarantee my commitment to Him.  I would still have the freewill to accept or deny The Truth--a freewill to accept or deny His love.  Jesus would leave the Father's side, come to the earth, face my persecution and betrayal, be forsaken by God, die on a cross, battle and defeat darkness in Hell, and resurrect from the dead just to give me the chance to be saved.  He would simply make the option of salvation available to me.  He would not force me to accept His love or accept Him as my Lord and Savior.

Jesus would come to earth for one single human being without even being certain if that person would choose to be with Him. (Matthew 18:10-14).

 Jesus came at a great risk. Jesus loves at great risk.

Jesus came to the earth on the chance that you and I would be saved. Jesus did not to come to force us to be born again or force us to be righteous. He came to give us the option to be in a relationship with Him--hoping that we would choose to return the love He generously poured out for us. 

Jesus loves us so much that He would not force us to love Him in return. He values love so much that love is what He asks of us, not merely religious devotion.  Jesus came so that we would have a way out of our entrapped lifestyles.  God loves us so much that He still "asks" for our permission to be part of our lives. He asks if we'll choose to be with Him even after He's done the hard part of rescuing us from death and destruction for all eternity (which, by the way, is very long time...an unending time).

Jesus is a gentleman. He invites us into a relationship with Him versus forces us into one.

Jesus' actions remind me of those of the Old Testament prophet Hosea who was instructed to marry the prostitute, Gomer.  We, humans, have behaved like Gomer, giving our love and devotion to other things and ideals. Jesus has been the faithful husband. We have a faithful husband who loves us no matter what--no matter how we behave or how often we stray. He is patient, kind, faithful, compassionate, slow to anger, merciful and forgiving. (Psalm 103:11-14).  Jesus offers us His love and faithfulness in the hope that we'll reciprocate, but it's no guarantee that we will. Yet, He still offers it.

Such great love at such great risk deserves our love and affection with unquestionable abandon.