God's Outrageous Love
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
When we think about God's love, we often focus on the blessings He gives us, the prayers He answers, or the comfort we find in knowing Him. Yet the greatest demonstration of God's love is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. To appreciate the extraordinary nature of that love, we must first understand who Jesus is and what He willingly did for us.
Philippians 2:5-11 tells us that Jesus existed in the form of God before humbling Himself and taking the form of a servant. He is the eternal Son of God, who shared glory with the Father before the world existed. When Jesus became a man, He did not cease to be God. Instead, He willingly laid aside divine privileges, took on human nature, and entered the world He had created. His coming was not motivated by personal gain, but by His desire to redeem sinful humanity.
The sacrifice of Jesus becomes even more remarkable when we consider how He was treated by those He came to save. He was rejected, abused, mocked, beaten, and ultimately crucified. Although He was without sin, He willingly suffered and died as the sacrifice for ours. Scripture tells us that God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus gave His life voluntarily, even knowing the suffering that awaited Him.
His death, however, was not the end. Jesus rose from the grave, demonstrating His victory over death, and was exalted in glory. Philippians 2 tells us that every knee will one day bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Through faith in Him, we can be forgiven and welcomed into God's family as His children.
How should we respond to love this extraordinary? Scripture calls us to give ourselves to Christ, recognizing that we have been purchased at a tremendous price. Our lives are no longer meant to be lived simply for ourselves, but for the One who died and rose again on our behalf. We should also give Him our worship—not merely through songs or words, but through lives that honor Him. Abraham's obedience and David's refusal to offer God a sacrifice that cost him nothing both remind us that genuine worship involves surrender.
God's outrageous love is not something we can earn or repay. It is a gift of grace that deserves our deepest gratitude and complete devotion. When we understand what Jesus has done for us, the question is no longer simply how much God loves us, but how we will respond to His love.