Greater Love Has No Man.

Several years ago - when my son was just a couple months old - my wife brought him to my office for a lunchtime visit. Of course, I was thrilled to see them both.

As I held my son his whole leg suddenly did this weird, uncontrollable shudder. my wife and I exchanged looks. "That was strange," we said. And it kept happening - not just once, but several times. Our concern grew. "Could this be some nervous system issue?" we wondered.

My wife left the office with our son, and me, with a mind full of unhinged worry. Perplexed over what this shuddering could possibly be. I sat in front of my computer, emails saturated with tasks lined up for the day, but my only concern was my son and his shuddering leg. Without realizing it, I started mentally listing everything we owned, tallying up values in my head.

My car is worth X

Our house is worth this amount

I could see all our surfboards for this.

I would sell anything to make sure my son could see the best neuroscientist in the country. His health was my utmost concern.

Turns out Pascal’s shuddering leg was a once-off. It never happened again. 😅

But I came to a deeper and more profound understanding of the love of a father. I am no special dad. I am simply a run-of-the-mill, blue-collar father like millions of others who would sacrifice anything for their hurt child.

Crazy to think of the lengths Jesus has gone to save us. It pales in comparison to what I would do to heal my son.

The Creator of the universe gave up His only son so that whoever believes in Him might have eternal life. God gave up far more for us than I would for my son.

This is the pinnacle of a Father's love.

The Greek word for being saved & healed is Sozo. This Word is used interchangeably in the New Testament. So when Jesus says you are saved he also means you are healed.

Jesus gave up His life so we might be healed.

So that we no longer struggle with anxiety.

So we no longer have depression 

We're healed from our addiction to pornography 

Our need for alcohol 

We believe God will provide for our every need so we don't worry about tomorrow.

Our hearts are at peace regardless of the storms raging around us.

Jesus came so that we might be healed.

And what is our response? Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'"

To deny oneself. To take up our cross. And follow Jesus. Is to find life!

In his book Cost Of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes:

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Discipleship to Jesus and sacrifice is a daily commitment. Where is God calling you to sacrifice?

**For month of April we are unpacking the concept of sacrifice in the Christian faith. How Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of death on the cross should inspire us to lay down our lives, our desires for the sake of following Jesus. #ThisIsTrueSacrifice