Arranged by
A story is told of a child in Luther’s time that had been taught to think of God only with dread, as of a terrible judge. In her stern home the name of God had been mentioned only to terrify and frighten her. But one day, in her father’s printing office, she picked up a scrap of paper, and found on it the first words of this verse, “God so loved the world that he gave” – The remaining words were torn off; but even in this mere fragment there was a new revelation to her. It told her that God loved the world, loved it well enough to give something. What he gave she did not know; but it was a great deal for her to know that he loved the world enough to give anything to it. Then new thought brought great joy to her heart. It changed all her conception of God. She learned to think of him as one who loved her, as her friend, ready to give her rich gifts and all good, and this brightened and transformed her life.
We have the whole wonderful verse. We know what God gave, – the most costly and precious gift in all the universe, – and the full revelation should fill us with unutterable gladness and joy.