We stand before the mirror each day and see… broken, messy, old, uncertain, unloved reflections of ourselves staring back at us! We exhale and wish for this day to be better than the one before – for this reflection to give us a glimpse of something new, loved and treasured. We plead with someone – anyone – to say “yes, you are beautiful, you are treasured and you are mine”!
We pound our fist at the air in frustration and hurriedly open our Bible as our one chance for this day to be different. Our eyes gaze on the page before us and one verse stands out clearly against the backdrop of a sea of words. This verse boldly says: 16 “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
That’s when you press the “Pause” button on your day. Your whole mind shifts and you realize “This is love!” God gave us the ultimate gift – His son! And in the act of one final sharp, inhale and exhale on the cross, our lives were saved. God gave us the gifts of love, grace and perfect peace by giving us His only Son. He erased all of our messiness and uncertainties through His selfless act. We are made new because we believe in the promises and truths that Jesus came to share with the world.
The promise that the broken will be made whole again…
The promise that those who don’t belong, will hear the whisper of God saying “You are mine!”
The promise for the hurting that the shattered pieces will be put together and comforted…
The promise that God will make all things new – winter will be put to sleep and spring will reign…
Photos by Mary@Passage Through Grace
The words in John 3:16 provide a sense of hope and encouragement for all the times the reflection in the mirror tells you otherwise. Our trust in God leads us to holding on tight to all God’s truths and letting Him hold on tight to us.
God loved us so much He sent His son Jesus who in one amazing sacrifice brought…
...wholeness for the broken
…belonging for the outcast
…courage for the fearful
…strength for the weak
…comfort for the afflicted
On this day, we can give thanks that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us! We can know with certainty that “This is Love!”
May God bless each of us today with a sense of peace and love that has us believing that we are treasured!
Blessings,
Mary
So blessed to be linking with P31OBS for the Blog Hop today!
Also linking with my favorites at Whimsical Wednesday and Wedded Wednesday!
I’m a little late to come by and read this but so glad I did not miss. This truly was a beautiful message. Blessings to you.
Blessed you stopped by today, Beth! Praying we all hear God’s words in each other and from the written words of our blogging community.
Just beautiful, Mary! I love this in particular – “God loved us so much He sent His son Jesus who in one amazing sacrifice brought…wholeness for the broken…belonging for the outcast…courage for the fearful…strength for the weak…comfort for the afflicted.” Have you thought about making that into an “infographic’ or pin for Pinterest? It looks like that would be a great way to get this encouragement out there where more eyes might see it. Thanks for this lovely reminder too, Mary! It’s one we all need to focus and refocus on!
You are such an encouragement for me! I certainly wish for an endless amount of time to devote to truly reaching more to provide that encouragement. Thank you for being a constant source of writing love! Seeing your beautiful face at my place keeps me motivated.
Mary, this was just so beautiful I’m so sorry it took me all week to read! Thank you for sharing your heart and your talent through these words!!
Thank you Sybil! I love how God uses our blank page to speak through the words and encourage others. Blessings to you!
Your lovely words touched my heart. Thank you!
Blessed you stopped by! God’s words breathing life into one simple blog post- I am so blessed!
I shed tears reading the first paragraph and was undone after that. I am so thankful for Jesus, that He came for me and loves me. Now, if I can just get my heart to believe what my head already knows. Love you!
Love you too, Barbie! My heart doesn’t always believe what God has placed in my heart but He is so willing to teach me over and over again!
Your message was so powerful and really resonated in me!!! I loved the pictures! Thank you for sharing with us!
Blessed you stopped by! God’s words speak loudest when the truth in them shines brightly! Happy Weekend!
Mary, this is beautifully written. This IS love!
Blessed you stopped by today, Marissa! May God continue to show us all His love through His Word and through others.
Love the visuals you included and the contrast you created!! God led me to share about love as well…so grateful for His love and the opportunity to constantly grow in my understanding of it! Blessings to you!
So glad you stopped by today, Jill! God’s love works continually to transform us and teach us how to live our lives.Can’t wait to stop by your place to hear God speak through you.
John 3:16 is one of my favorite scriptures. There is so much to glean from the Bible and every time I read scripture, God speaks. He loves me and I am so thankful to Him.
Amen, Melissa! Praying that we are always willing to hear God whisper through His words in the Bible. Blessings!
Beautiful Read this morning! I loved the picture of the bridges, made the whole thing come to life!
Thank you, Sarah! Sometimes visuals are needed to bring life to the words on the page. Blessed you stopped by today!
So beautifully written from your heart. Yes, there is no greater love!
Thank you, Cynthia! Blessed you stopped by and blessed that God’s love is unfailing.