A LITTLE boy once learned this verse, and he could not understand it, as he had not been taught much about the Lord Jesus.
After he had repeated the text several times, he asked, “What does ‘gave Himself’ mean?”
Then his friend told him very simply how the blessed Lord Jesus left the glory above, and came down into this world, and died upon the cross; how He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, and shed His precious blood, that all who believe in Him may have their sins forgiven, and be with Him forever in the bright heaven above.
Alec listened attentively, and then said softly, “What made Him do it?”
The only answer could be, “It was His love, wondrous love.”
After that day, Alec delighted to speak of the love of Jesus for him. He said once, “I know what ‘gave Himself’ means; it means, He put away my sins when He died on the cross.” And another day he said to his friend, “I love Jesus very much; don’t you?”
When asked why he loved Him, his answer always was, “Because He gave Himself.”
It was the love of Jesus in giving Himself for him, a sinner, that won his heart, and drew back his love to Him. “We love Him, because He first loved us.”
You have often heard of this wonderful love, dear children, but have you believed it O, do not turn away from such love! It is all for you, if you will have it. Stop and think what it means: “gave Himself.” He could not give more, and nothing less would do.
Just let this love of Jesus into your heart now, and then you will rejoice to say, “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
ML 11/25/1917