For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
‘In twenty-five words or less, tell us why your mother should be Mother of the Year’, reads the contest rules.
‘In twenty-five words or less, explain the importance of the French Revolution upon the economic and social structures of the thirteen colonies,’ reads the test question.
Now, although I might not have much trouble with the second question, the first one would be extremely difficult for me because the more we know about any given subject, the harder it is to communicate our thoughts succinctly.
Not so with Jesus. John 3:16 is exactly twenty-five words long, and in these twenty-five words, Jesus communicates the Father’s heart, the Father’s plan, and the Father’s will …
His heart: He loved the world.
His plan: He gave His only begotten Son.
His will: Whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I find it interesting, although I know it is somewhat coincidental, that in our English translation of this verse, the middle word is Son. It is no coincidence, however, that those who have experienced God’s presence most powerfully are those who have made the Son the center of their lives, for just as Jesus is the center of the greatest verse in all Scripture, He must be central in our hearts and lives if they are to have meaning, purpose, and impact.
This means that any person, pursuit, or passion in my life which cannot be centered on Jesus Christ has no place in my life, for it is God’s plan to gather together everything in the heavens and on earth in His Son (Ephesians 1:10).
Surrounding the word ‘Son’ in this verse, there are nine other key words: God, loved, world, gave, whosoever, believeth, perish, have, and life.
If you want to be really blessed, meditate on John 3:16 every day for ten days, giving emphasis to a different word each day …
For God so loved the world …
For God so loved the world …
For God so loved the world …
Perhaps you memorized this verse when you were three years old, but I believe it will come alive for you in new ways, as you contemplate its enormity.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book “A Days Journey” by Pastor Jon. “A Days Journey” is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament. If you would like your own copy of “A Days Journey” you may click here to go to the SearchLight Store
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