We found our friend Gordon in his wheelchair in the lobby of the nursing home. We had often visited him and we knew he loved to talk about the Lord Jesus.
After we greeted him, he said, “Do you remember that calendar you gave me with a verse on it?”
“Yes, I do.”
“It said, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ I don’t understand it!”
We were puzzled. Gordon was a Christian and he was not ashamed of his Lord. He enjoyed talking about Him and visiting with other believers, but now he was saying he did not understand a verse like John 3:1616For 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)!
“Well, it says, ‘God so loved the world.’ I don’t understand it.”
“Yes, Gordon, I don’t understand it either. Why would God love such a world as we live in? This world is full of violence and evil. It hates Him and does not obey His Word.”
Can you understand why God loves this world ... or even, why He loves you? There really is no reason for it. But, God is love (1 John 4:88He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)), and that is why He loves us.
It may be hard to understand, but we only need to believe it to enjoy God’s love. The verse is not for “whoever understands” but for “whoever believes.”
Messages of God’s Love 3/30/2025