"How Deep The Father's Love For Us"

Have you ever hit a bump in the road? Not just a small little rock, or a slight dip, but a HUGE bump? One that was so big you had to slow down to almost a complete stop in order to get over it? Let me ask you this…. have you ever hit a bump on your spiritual road to Christ? I hit one recently, I wasn’t ready for how big it would be. In fact, I saw it coming but I tried to avoid it by taking detours. In doing so I only made the bump bigger. Bumps are scary, they literally rock your world and most of the time are bigger than they seem. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don’t. We all have bumps in our road but God has something even better. Love.

“How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure. That He should give His only son, to make a wretch His treasure.” 

I’m going to let you in on a little secret….you can’t tell anyone okay? Move a little closer, make sure no one is reading over your shoulder. Are you ready? …….most bumps in the road are created by…….YOU! Shocking right? I know I was surprised when this truth slammed me in the face. Now, before I get the attention of you analytical people who will say “Actually they are created by sin, meaning they’re from Satan himself.” This is correct, but did you know that God granted you choice? God does not force anyone to follow Him, it is a choice you must make in your heart and in turn proclaim publicly. So, without being too technical lets continue our chat. In order to explain this with depth I’m going to tell a little bit about my bump, without disclosing what exactly it was.

My bump was self created. Something I chose to do. Something my sinful self wanted to do. I created this bump after looking at Satan’s temptation for me and failing to say no. That was step one in the making of my bump in the road. The second step was trying to cover it up. I didn’t want to see the bump I created, and I definitely didn’t want anyone else to see it either. Little did I know, until after the fact, that I wasn’t actually covering my bump. I was making it bigger. The third step were the detours I took. I was ready to avoid my bump at all costs. I didn’t want anyone to notice it and tell me, so I swerved left and right. I took back ways and front ways and side ways….you get the point. In all honesty it took me farther away from the bump. I didn't hit it as soon, but as I was cruising along my side roads other things crossed its path and made it even bigger. 

By the time I came face to face with my bump it was HUGE. I knew it wouldn’t just effect me, it was now going to effect some of the people I care for most in this world. But, I couldn’t turn back. So I stopped. I literally pulled over and began to speak with God. I pleaded and begged for Him to remove the bump, to forgive me for the wickedness I had created in my life and others. And amidst the sobs I heard Him whisper this sweet melody….. 

“It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished. His dying breathe has brought me life, I know that it is finished.”

HIS DYING BREATHE HAS BROUGHT ME LIFE……. Take in the depth of those words! How deep His love is for us! Even as we continue to create our bumps, try to avoid them and make them bigger. The end of my bump story goes like this….. 

There I was, stopped on the road, facing my bump an dreading how deep it was going to be. But, I had something else to do. I had to confess to others about my bump. And so, I did. I talked to the three most important people in my life and told them about the bump in the road that I had caused. They prayed for me, they looked into their own feelings, they read the Bible and then they all pulled up beside me on the road. So at this point it was me, God and three others. We all got ready to go and stepped towards the bump. But, you know what happened? I’m not going to tell you…..HA! Sorry! Okay, I'm kidding I will finish it for the sake of your sanity. I got over my bump...but not alone. I made it with God carrying me and those three people holding my hand. It is possible, especially when you have an amazing, merciful, graceful God on your side! So yes, I sin, I fail, I’m not perfect, I fall short, I create bumps….HUGE bumps, but……

“How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure. That He should give His only son, to make a wretch His treasure…………It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished.”

AMEN!!!!