True Love?

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Today, I pose a question to you....  What is true love?  Many would describe the moment when they knew their spouse was "THE ONE!!"  Some would describe a first date or how they feel when they are with their husband or wife.  Some may even talk about their children.  Whatever your view, most of us realize and understand the depth and meaning of love.

I love my wife and my daughter unconditionally.  They are the only two people that I can see myself laying my life down for.  After God, they are my world!!  I would do anything to protect them and keep them from harm or danger. 

Then I think about Jesus.  A baby boy born in Bethlehem.  Raised by normal people.  He got hungry.  He got thirsty.  He felt pain.  He laughed.  He cried.  Just like we do!!  He was a man.  He did come here to die, but do you think knowing his own fate made that easy?  No. Have you ever been so stressed that your sweat turned to drops blood?!?

Luke 22:44

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

This was not an easy decision by any means.  To willingly lay your life down for someone you did not know would not be an easy decision for anyone!  But He did it.  He was arrested, put on trial, beaten, treated like a criminal, scorned, had his facial hair ripped from his face.  It gets much worse.  Tied to a post, whipped until his insides were hanging out of his body, made to carry his own murder weapon on a path to his death site.  Yet, still it continues.  He was made to drape himself on the cross as they took spikes and drove them through his hands and feet.  He felt the excruciating pain that racked his body as the cross was raised and the breath was ripped from his body.  He hung there suspended between blood covered dirt and his Father until he died.

He did it.  This is not some fairytale that someone made up.  He did it without a guarantee that even one of us would invite Him into our hearts.  He died for you.  He died for me.  He endured the most horrendous death imaginable because He wanted you to be free from sin and spend eternity in Heaven.

That, my friend, is True Love.