The devil knows no greater trick than to make sinners believe that God hates them, when, in fact, God loves them. For what is this world that God loves so marvelously that He gives His Son to die for it in order to save it? It is a world of sinners. Yet all the iniquity, the idolatry, the ingratitude, and the enmity of which the world was and is guilty could not kill God's love for it. The wicked world could and did kill God's only Son, but it could not and did not kill God's saving love. Whosoever (O blessed whosoever!) learns to believe in that burning love of God for sinners and makes the crucified Savior his Savior by faith, shall not perish, no matter how vile he may be, but he shall escape death and have everlasting life.

A young soldier was shot on the battlefield, and a comrade dragged him aside to die. He shut his eyes, all his past life flashed before him. In the gaiety of life he had forgotten his God and Savior. Now his many sins, like so many weights, seemed to sink him deeper and deeper into everlasting perdition. Then the only legacy which his pious mother had left him came to his mind. It was this thrilling Bible verse of God's love which his mother had taught him at her knee. He caught at it as at a saving rope let down from heaven. "Lord, I believe," he cried; "save me for Jesus' sake or I perish!" That was his dying prayer, a prayer never uttered by a penitent soul in vain.

We are sinners whom God loves so marvelously in His dear Son. Do we believe and rejoice in that saving love? If so, our hearts must fill with burning gratitude, and we cannot do otherwise - we will daily give ourselves anew to God a living sacrifice.

[devotion text by Rev. F. W. Herzberger (1920) -
from the Family Altar - CPH (1957 edition)]
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