Jesus said, “I thirst.”

- John 19:28

Can you imagine yourself being the creator of your own world: You have given freedom to the creatures you have created and they have turned away from you; instead of giving up on them and recreating a more perfect species, you forgive them and determine to redeem them from their sins and rescue them from their foes? Unbelievable thought, isn't it?

This unbelievable situation is in fact infinitely more intense as our God is both a righteous and merciful God. Our fallen nature and these two natures of God cornered our God into an extremely difficult situation, to choose between us and Himself. And He has chosen us!

God the Father does not demand us to make up for our own sins. He knows by our own effort, we could never do that. So, right at the beginning of time after the Fall of Adam and Eve, He has willed to send His Son into the world through a woman. This… is the Father's Love.

Jesus fills in all the missing gaps that God the Father requires of us. Between the high bar of God the Father, and low bar of humankind, lies Jesus the bridge in between. Not only has Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of our sins, but also fills the gap and void that exists between us and the Father. Jesus is the perfect mediator between heaven and earth. And Jesus is also our advocate! And that love originates from the Father.

But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

If God the Father loves us so much, why wouldn't He love His only begotten Son more? We know parents love their children even more than they love themselves! So there is no need to speculate that God the Father does not love His Son and so sent Jesus to die for us. God the Son knows how much His Father loves Him but He also knows that His Father loves us also and treats us as His own children. So, God the Son, who loves His Father most, returns His love by willingly lowering Himself to become a slave, to die a shameful death for us on the cross, to pay the huge price of our sins, and to fill the huge void between God the Father and us!

God the Father and God the Son are the same God. So, the Father's merciful love is in the Son, and the Son's Passion is also in the Father. There is only one God, inseparable. This is who God is! God the Father and God the Son invested every ounce of their love in each one of us. That is what it means by ALL IN, this bottomless love of God for us, His creatures.

Unimaginable? Yes, it is! Even if we can't comprehend or accept this fact, it is what it is! We can't deny it!

And this unbelievable big Brother of ours, Jesus, goes further to intercede and pledge for us in front of His Father. Not only can we see that from His prayer to His Father before His Passion (John 17), He loved and cared for all those around Him every step of the way to Calvary! Can we imagine being our advocate and for those who were His enemies at the time when the heavy sins of all humankind, from beginning to the end of time, crushing on Him… alone… physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually? On someone who knows no sins! This was against His human nature not to lay blame on others or even to curse, let alone care for those He loved, forgive those who killed Him, and advocate for them! This…is the Love of the Son!

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Imagine the excruciating pain inflicted on the Hearts of the Father and the Son bearing the suffering of each other when Jesus was dying on the Cross! And it's during this intense moment, the total darkness seemed to overshadow our Lord Jesus, when He felt the abandonment of God the Father! This… is the climax of the Greatest Love Story!

And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

This… is the total outpouring of His Love on the Cross, both from the Son, and from the Father! This is the price that God the Father and God the Son have paid for you, and for me!

If we acknowledge that God the Son Jesus died for us on the Cross, we must also acknowledge the originating LOVE that has compelled the Father and the Son to do what they have done and continue to do for us! )
Only then can we truly comprehend why there is really nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!)
(cf. Romans 8:35-39)

REFLECTION:

Do I truly appreciate God's bottomless love for me?

Am I allowing my own sins and my pride to separate me from the love of God?

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father and Jesus, thank you for your supreme love for me. Now, I begin to realize how little I understand the extent of Your holy love for me. Please don’t let me stop here. Help me to immerse myself in Your ocean of merciful love for me.

As my response to Your invitation, Lord, I will come to and stay at the bottom of Your holy cross, where you are still suffering for my sins, to quench Your thirst . I desire to love You from now on with all my heart, all my being, all my strength, and all my mind. (cf. Luke 10:27)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


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