“For God so loved the world…” the familiar words of John 3:16 help us to understand the nature of God and underscore the value to the Shepherd of all of his sheep. In Luke 15 we are told that the shepherd is willing to leave the massed flock to seek out a single lost lamb.

When I consider God’s love for “the world” I am reassured, in a sort of abstract way, that He is a loving father who wants only the best for his creation, but when I think of the depth of his love for that single lost sheep….and this lost sheep, well … that’s personal.

To me, the Christian walk is all about relationship. Relationship with Christ, first of all, then relationships with my fellow Christians.

Beyond that is my relationship with the non-believer who comes into my life. My hope and prayer is that our relationship will help lead that non-believer ultimately to a relationship with Christ. 

Only our relationships with fellow Christians will go with us into Eternity.

It is awareness of the one-on-one relationship I have with Christ that touches me when I consider how he suffered so hideously for my sins; not for some anonymous “world”, but for me, so that my sins and selfishness are forgiven, even now, these  many years after that first Resurrection Morning. Halleluiah, what a savior. Indeed.