Real LOve

There was once a big turntable bridge spanning a large river. Most of the time, the bridge sat with its length running parallel to the river so ships could pass freely on both sides of it. Whenever a train was expected, the bridge was turned to cross the river, then locked securely in position to allow the train safe passage.

A switchman sat in a little shack on one side of the river. From there he could operate the controls.

One evening the switchman turned to the controls to allow the last train of the day to cross. He got the bridge into position without difficulty. But, to his horror, the locking mechanism wouldn’t work. Unless the tracks locked securely, the train would surely jump the track and go crashing into the river with its cargo of human passengers. For just such an emergency there was a manual locking lever on the far side of the river.

Knowing there was no time to waste, he hurried to it. But to get it to work, he had to hold the lever firmly in position as the train roared on.Then he heard a sound that made his blood run cold: “Daddy, where are you?” His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.

The father’s first impulse was to call to the child, “Run! Run!” But the train was too close, the tiny legs would never get the child across the bridge in time.Oh, how he wanted to let go the lever, snatch the child into his arms and carry him to safety. But he’d never make it back to the lever on time. Either the people in the train or his little son must die.

His heart breaking, he held the lever in position until the train passed safely. No one aboard was aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing man still clinging tightly to the lever. They didn’t see the grief-stricken father dragging himself home to tell his wife he had sacrificed their son to save the train load of passengers he didn’t even know..

Now, imagine what our loving heavenly Father must have felt when he sacrificed his perfect Son to save even those who reject Him and His love?
Love indeed.
Love beyond comprehension.

Can you be so wickedly ungrateful as to continue rejecting Him who has done so much for you?
To do so is to invite the eternal displeasure of the Almighty God who longs to be your loving Father.

Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us. . . . In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (sacrifice) for our sins. . . .

We love him because he first loved us. (I John 3:1; 4:9-11,19).