The Taj Mahal sits like a jewel on the plains of Agra in northern India. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in the seventeenth century, sparing no expense in the lavish construction of the famous building. Twenty thousand workers labored for over twenty years on what would be one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.
“Taj Mahal” is thought to mean “Crowned Palace,” but it is, in fact, a mausoleum. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a memorial to his favorite wife. Because of the beauty of the building and also the Shah’s heartfelt devotion to the memory of his wife, a poet has described the Taj Mahal as a “Monument to Eternal Love.”
“Eternal love” —what a phrase! With poetic license men may use the phrase to describe the bond between husband and wife, yet, in a stricter sense, the phrase “eternal love” can only rightly describe the love in God’s heart. “Thus saith the high and lofty One that [inhabits] eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place” (Isaiah 57:1515For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)). He is the great Architect of the universe, who spoke the world into existence.
Does this One who inhabits eternity love the people He made? Jeremiah the prophet wrote, “The Lord... hath appeared to me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” The answer to the question, “Does God love?” is a resounding YES! And oh, how He loves! Sometimes the smallest words speak more than volumes, and this is the case with the little word “so” in the Bible. See John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16):
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Shah Jahan demonstrated that he loved his wife by building the Taj Mahal. God showed that He loved the world by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in the sinner’s place. How much did God love the world? He so loved the world.
God so loved the world that He sent His Son so that mankind which sat in darkness might see a great light.
God so loved the world that His Son went to Calvary’s cross, where the Just suffered for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.
God so loved the world that the precious blood that was shed at Calvary is able to wash the vilest sinner clean.
God so loved the world that He raised the Lord Jesus from the grave so that those who believe on Him might know that they have everlasting life.
God so loves the world even now that He sends the good news of the gospel to all the corners of the earth so that many might find great joy and peace in believing.
He does not desire that anyone should build Him a great and beautiful monument out of cold stone to commemorate His love. As the living God, He wants only living monuments. He wants men and women to become these living monuments. They must do so by realizing their lost condition and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Once a person is saved through faith, He wants their lives to “show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” He takes poor, unworthy sinners and makes them monuments of His grace.
A songwriter once wrote:
Oh, have you not heard of that wonderful love,
That flows from Gods heart so free,
Which led Him to give for a perishing world
His Son to be nailed to the tree?
Greater love than this the world has never known. This is eternal love, love straight from Gods heart to you. God could absolutely do nothing greater to show us His love than sending His Son into this world, knowing full well that He would be rejected and crucified. You might be an atheist, you might be a terrorist, you might be full of dark religion, you might be a murderer—still God offers this love to you.
At the cross the floodgates of God’s grace and love were opened. Were you the most wretched sinner alive, God wants you to know that He loves you and that if you turn from your sins to the Saviour, He will forgive and cleanse you. Won’t you open the dark caverns of your heart and let His love and grace flow in?