Let this sink in for a minute: If you were the only person in the world to accept Jesus Christ as Savior-the only one out of the billions who have lived-Jesus would still have submitted Himself to the humiliation of the Cross. Why? And why, when God created humans, did He give them-us-free will? Adam and Eve could choose complete obedience with its' obvious rewards in the Garden, or they could choose disobedience, and with it rebellion and destruction. Why give them-us-that choice?

Then he [Abraham] said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten [righteous men] can be found there?" He [the Lord] answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." -Genesis 18:32

     Let this sink in for a minute: If you were the only person in the world to accept Jesus Christ as Savior---the only one out of the billions who have lived---Jesus would still have submitted Himself to the humiliation of the Cross. Why? And why, when God created humans, did He give them---us---free will? Adam and Eve could choose complete obedience with its' obvious rewards in the Garden, or they could choose disobedience, and with it rebellion and destruction. Why give them---us---that choice?

     The answer to both questions is this: God loves us so much He wants us to want to be with Him. In the Kingdom of God, relationships give meaning and holiness to activity and actions.

     Sadly, most Christians have been taught that life is about doing, about having a mission or a purpose that we can use to measure spiritual progress, or to feel more worthy of Christ's sacrifice . Nothing is further from the truth! We are not loved more because we do more; and are not higher in God's eyes because we're higher in men's eyes.

     We mattered long before we lifted a finger to act; long---even---than before we were born. The only thing that can separate us from this Love that gives us worth is rejecting Christ's free offer of salvation. Even better news: Once we accept that offer, nothing can separate us from that Love again...nothing!

      Until we learn that our worth comes from relationship and not activity , we hurl unintended insult at Jesus, who suffered and died not so we could work, not so we could evangelize, not so we could raise families, not so we could make the world a better place, but so we could once again be in fellowship with God. Then, as we soon discover, fellowship with God takes place as we work, as we evangelize, as we raise families, as we make the world a better place because He's busy doing those things too. A relationship with God is an active experience.

      Eternity begins the moment we are created. Heaven begins the moment we meet Jesus. But contentment and joy will never be ours until we recognize our worth is found in the company of God .

      When the apostle Peter writes that we should be "ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us", he was talking about a hope that comes from knowing and loving God, from trusting Him to balance the scales eventually; a hope that reminds us this isn't all there is to life, that one day all sorrow, all pain, all inequity and misery and trial will no longer be a part of our journey.

Jesus sacrificed Himself for one reason, to put us back in touch with God. We must make fellowship with Him the central mission of our lives; for only then will life and faith make sense. Only then will you understand that Jesus walked to that Cross with your name in His heart-and would have done so even if only you responded.