"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16 has been described as the verse in the bible best known to christians and non-christians alike. It is used time after time, to show the sacrifice the Lord made for us. To me, it has become the go-to verse when witnessing to a new believer.  This weekend, I was reminded of just how much that verse means.

On Friday, Glowing Heart had the pleasure of making the trip to Calvary Baptist Church for a D-Now weekend. I was so excited going into it because I knew some of the girls from camp last summer. As soon as kids began to arrive, it became obvious that this was a very active youth group! The first night there we played indoor paintball, ultimate frisbee, and basketball! This was my kind of youth group! As the weekend went on, we were given the chance to serve the community through different projects. My group was sent to a pregnacy center. We sanded down the porch, and spent the afternoon repainting it. I loved it! It was amazing to serve alongside the girls, and just see the heart they had for the project.  I really enjoyed the work, but thats just what I saw it as....work. I didn't stop to think of how we could bless the center, or even how this act showed God's love. I allowed myself to become distracted, and lost focus on the real reason we were there.

"So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you."

Isaiah 41: 10,13

When given the oppertunity to worship on Saturday night, I was immediatly convicted. I was allowing all the worries and burdens of everyday life to distract me from spending my time with the Lord, and using my time for Him. God showed me the passage above, and I realized that there was NO problem in the world that would ever be bigger than God. Once I understood that, there was nothing left for me to do but praise Him! It was so amazing! The entire room was filled with people freely worshiping God, and you could just feel the love. It made me reflect on my walk with the Lord, and how much I truly and openly showed my love for Him.

In Hosea, it talks about how God had the prophet Hosea marry a prostitute knowing she would be unfaithful. Her name was Gomer, and just as predicted she was unfaithful to her husband. She went against their union and gave herself to other men when offered very little in return. God related that to our relationship with Him. We are unclean, and unfaithful people. We give ourselves to the world when it offers nothing, instead of staying true to the Lord! I am so ashamed of myself! I can't believe we would do such a thing to a God who loves us so much. Time and time again the bible tells us how great His love is:

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. - Deuteronomy 7:9

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. - 1 John 4:16

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:12-13

We love Him, because He first loved us.-1 John 4:19.

I could go on with so many verses about love! God loves us so much! He really showed me that this weekend, and I realized the importance of sharing my love for Him. Then it hit me....

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

God loved us so much that He gave his son! HIS SON!!! We can have eternal life in Him because of that! That is huge! Thats why John 3:16 is known so well, because it is so significant! So why don't we share that love? Why don't we tell about His sacrifice? Why don't we live for Him? We all fall short, and we all are sinners. We can't help we are unclean like Gomer, but we are renewed through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross! We are forgiven, and I know that I can't wait to share it! Can you?