Today’s scripture: John 3:16 (NRSV) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Ben Lamb):
So-called “reality shows” seem to keep popping up on television. Some center on the subject of finding a mate. I’ve watched some episodes of various ones, and am struck with this approach to finding love.
The pattern seems to be the same on each show. A big ol’ gaggle of people compete with each other to win a prize. Gone are the days when a prize waiting to be won on television is merely a washer and dryer set. This time, the prize is a human being!
I’m not sure whether to laugh out loud, or to cry from sadness when watching these grown-ups act like nincompoops. The “prize” person gets to go on a ton of dates with each contestant and then select one of them to be adorned with the blue ribbon after weeding out everyone one else, one person per week. In some ways, it reminds me of cattle judging at the State Fair.
I have yet to see the long-term statistics on how any of the winning couples fare over time. Finding long-lasting love within a few weeks seems to me to be a very rare occurrence.
The greatest love for humans to receive happens to require no auditioning, and there’s positively no limit on the number of people who can receive it. Best of all, this particular love lasts forever. It’s the love of God for the human race. Today’s verse states this fact in a succinct way:
For God so loved the world… you, me, and everyone else
that he gave his only begotten Son… Jesus, the only perfect being ever to live on earth
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life… God wants all of us to be in heaven when our earthly bodies are finished.
Thought for the day: John 3:16 wasn’t written with disappearing ink. God’s promise lasts forever.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.