Divine Love

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I need love, love's divine
Please forgive me now
I see that I've been blind
Give me love, love is what I need
To help me know my name

"Love's Divine" by Seal

Most of the time, this devotional uses the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible as the scripture source against the song lyrics. I generally prefer its translations, it's my preference. Author's choice.

Nearly every translation renders John 3:16 this way. There is a little deviation, but not much. The New Living Translation does something a little different that is worth sharing.

The NLT begins John 3:16 saying, "For God loved the world so much..." That "so much" means the world to me. For those of us who are sophisticated in the use of the English language and reading of Holy Writ, we know that when most translations say "so loved" they mean "loved so much." But some times, it's worth putting in the extra word.

When you look at your spouse or your child, you will say "I love you so much." It's a way of saying "I love you beyond words" and "I love you more than I ever thought I could love."

The love of God is steadfast. It is the love that was given to humanity before we could appreciate it. In truth, we still can't appreciate the depth and breadth of God's love. We just can't. It's partially because of who we are, but more than that it's because of who God is. That's how much God loves us. God loves us so much that he sent his one and only Son, so that every one who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

This is the divine love of God. Seal's chorus now seems like a prayer, "Please forgive me now I see that I've been blind. Give me love, love is what I need to help me know my name." God loves us so much that in God's divine love, our name is now "Children of Christ."