…not without tremendous cost.

Yes, the true course of love had a tremendous cost.

Because we’re thinking about love this week, I’ll be referencing the cross a bit, so why don’t we go back and examine why the cross had to be? Think about it, since God is God, why did He have to suffer on Calvary? Couldn’t He just say, “Your sins be forgiven.” – and be done with it? Why the cross? Why death? Why suffering? Wasn’t there another way? Unfortunately…no.

There is one characteristic of God that demanded the cross, yet, He had another attribute that called for mercy. These are more commonly know as justice and love. In our lives, there are certain characteristics that dominate others. For example, a person’s personality may allow for a lot grace, yet, on the other hand, be timid about confrontation. Or, going the opposite way in the spectrum, someone may be quick to judge and slow to show mercy. God isn’t like either one of those – all His characteristics are perfectly balanced with each other, so one is not more pre-dominate than another. However, that raised a problem as far as sin was concerned, because God is both loving and just.

Because God is loving He wouldn’t let us perish, yet because He’s just, He couldn’t let sin go up-paid.

Justice ~ If God would have let His justice reign…well, we would be in big trouble! His just nature would have demanded that we die for our own sin. Sin can not be tolerated in His presence because He’s a Holy God, and therefore, a death penalty would have been set in motion for the human race. God’s just nature would have demanded it…and it would have been perfectly fair too. Yet, His love wouldn’t let that happen.

Love ~ On the other hand, if His love was in control, sin would have been swept under the carpet forever. Wrong deeds and sin would have gone unpunished – but His just character couldn’t let sin slide. Could you imagine what the world would be like if murderers, robbers and other criminals were never held accountable for their evil actions? Well, that’s what would have happened if God would have only shown us His love. So what was the solution?

The cross offered the perfect solution for our sin problem. First of all, it satisfied God’s justice. Secondly, because the Lord Jesus was sinless, He was the only Person who could pay for our sin because He didn’t have any sin of His own, He was perfect. As someone once said, His death was, “Boundless love shown ~ infinite justice satisfied.”

Today, the Heavenly Father sees Believers as perfect…because when He looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees the blood of His Son instead. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

This Valentines Day, no matter how dark the storm clouds may look, or how lonely the days can be, it’s a comfort to know that we have One who is “watching over all and hears each time we pray.” Because God’s justice was satisfied and His boundless love shown one day on a cross, on a hill called Calvary, we have a Savior who will roll every cloud away with His great love. No matter what you are going through, remember these words…

Love will roll the clouds away
Turn the darkness into day
I’m so glad I now can say
Love will roll clouds away!