Encouragements for our troubled times No. 03
COVID-19 Series | Date: 08 April 2020
As we are nearing Easter and are still in lockdown here is a text which combines a reflection on the greatness of God’s gift of His only Son for us and an encouragement for us during these troubling times.
A message from your Pastor
As we are nearing Easter and are still in lockdown here is a text which combines a reflection on the greatness of God’s gift of His only Son for us and an encouragement for us during these troubling times.
Romans 8:32
"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
Firstly, let’s reflect on God’s greatest gift, His only Son. What a gift! God could not have given more, for nothing could compare to His Son, not all the treasures of the universe. How precious His Son was to Him, He loved Him and was perfectly one with Him. So what a wrench it was for Him to sacrifice His Son for us. We are also told that the Father ‘did not spare’ His Son but ‘delivered Him up’ for us all. What was it that He did not spare His Son from? and what did He deliver Him up to? He did not spare His Son from being arrested, tried and beaten over and over again by those who hated Him without a cause. He did not spare His Son being treated like the vilest of criminals and being hung on a cross to die. He did not spare His only Son but delivered Him up to endure all the pain and misery that man could inflict upon Him. But that wasn’t the worst of our Saviour’s suffering. Far worse for Him, were all the sins that were poured down upon His Holy body, each and every one of the sins for everyone who would believe upon Him. The Father delivered Him up to bear the full weight of God’s law for our sins and make a full payment for them, giving His life so that we could have life. And remember, He gave His Son for us while we were yet sinners, in full rebellion against Him and worthy of His wrath. How unfathomable is His love for us.
Secondly, what encouragements this text has for us during these times of uncertainty and anxiety. If He has given us His greatest gift, given Him freely, not seeking payment or merit from us, and given Him up for us while we were yet sinners then it follows that He will not withhold any lesser gift from us now we are His dear children. But it’s not just the Father who gives so freely but the Son freely gives Himself for us and now every good thing and every perfect thing comes to us through the Son. All things, that is, all that our wise, kind, loving Father, who abounds in mercy, knows is good for us, best for us and He will work together for our good.
What a comfort to know that whatever this Easter holds for us, whether we may face isolation, separation, hospitalisation or worse, we know that our God is for us and will freely give us all that is good for us and all that we need.