Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional: Monday, March 2

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

Love of The Father

When Kurt Warner graduated from high school, most people didn’t picture him being an NFL quarterback. He played college football for Northern Iowa University and didn’t start until his fifth year. He tried out for the Green Bay Packers but wasn’t chosen by an NFL team. So he played for a few years in the Arena Football League. Eventually, he got an opportunity with the St. Louis Rams and helped them win a Super Bowl.

Before Warner hit the big stage, some people pictured him like a little stray dog wandering the streets. When it rained, Sparky enjoyed fresh water as it collected in the ditches. When it was dry, he searched for water and took little bites of food from trash cans. Sparky hadn’t been to the veterinarian and fleas crawled all over him and a few ticks drained his blood. As Sparky trotted through town, his bones poked through his skin but Animal Control workers missed him when they made their patrols. One day, a little girl rode in the car with her family and saw Sparky. She asked her parents to bring Sparky home. Though they already had two dogs, they decided to give Sparky a home.

It’s good to adopt a pet but it’s even better to be a foster parent. All children need the reliable support of a stable home to enjoy happiness and prosperity. In the Bible, God gives a beautiful description of picking up the Israelites as if they were orphans: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. … It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them” (Hosea 11:1, 3-4). None of us love God as much as we should, but God never stops loving us.

The love of God is deeper than the ocean, higher than a mountain, broader than the universe and stronger than steel. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” (Deuteronomy 33:27). As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day, God loves with a pure and abiding love. The Lord’s love isn’t affected by moods or anything else. God chooses to love us even though we often disappoint Him. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God knows everything about us and loves us anyway.

Our sin makes us dirty, like a stray dog covered with fleas. Jesus looks beyond our faults and reaches out His nail-scarred hand to rescue us, cleanse us, forgive us and restore us to be who we ought to be. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The love of God keeps on flowing like a river that will never run dry. Thank God for His everlasting love!

— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Ga.

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