I recently saw a surveillance video of a male child abductor who seized a young girl in a convenience store. The man looked like he was in his late 20s, and the young lady was 13. With a swift motion, he grabbed her arms and pulled her violently toward the door leading to his car. Just then, the girl's middle-aged mother came running into the picture. With her purse swinging from her left arm, she ran fearlessly toward the criminal, but he wouldn't quit. After fending her off, he grabbed the girl again and started for the door. As I watched the horrific event, I thought, "What is this guy thinking? What perceived prize does he have in mind that could be so rewarding that he would attempt such a blatant and heartless crime?" (I searched afterward for the latest stats on human trafficking and discovered that this inconspicuous, yet widely known "business" has now surpassed $150 billion per year. As the Bible says, the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).
As I continued to watch the video, this mother, who seemed to have no self-defense skills whatsoever nor be in any physical shape to fight, lunged for her daughter and embraced her on the floor with all of her might. It was obvious that she did not consider that her brave act could be her last. The kidnapper, however, was determined. With his disproportionate amount of strength and with the powerful intermittent heaves of a real life-and-death tug of war he continued to drag the daughter and her mother toward the door. Still desperately clinging to her child, the mother would reach out her hand in between the forceful yanks to loosen the assailant's grip. Finally, after a few more attempts, the man accepted defeat and fled.
What would cause an out-of-shape mother to run with all her might toward one of the cruelest of men? And what would compel her to continue to grapple with him knowing that he was too strong for her? And what kind of internal force could instantly coerce her to abandon all reason and throw her body to the floor? The answer, of course, is a mother's love.
We all know that a mother's love is powerful. But imagine a change of circumstance. What if the person who was targeted was not her child, or not a child at all? What if the victim was someone who had actually mistreated her or abused her? What if it were someone who disrespected her, ignored her, and repeatedly dishonored her? Would she have acted in the same way?
Now let's ask the real questions. Why did God save us? What could incentivize the Creator and Owner of the universe to want to send His own Son to a cruel death to save sinners like us? What influence could compel Him to make such a sacrifice for human beings, many of whom deny His existence? And what force could cause Jesus to disregard His own life and status in heaven, to leap to our rescue, and yield Himself to an agonizing death on a Roman cross?
You see, God did not lunge to your rescue because you were in good favor with Him. He did not jump to your defense in response to your obedience. Rather, before you could choose to show any appreciation, He chose to save you. With no guarantee that you would accept it, He purchased your salvation. And He didn't stop there. He proceeded to make many other promises to bless you. And then, He cut a blood covenant to convince you that He loves you with all His heart. And still now, every moment - hour after hour and day after day - there is something inside of Him that yearns for you. He continually looks for ways to bless you, to love you, to forgive you, to restore you, and to prove to you that He is your God and that He will keep the oath that He swore to you.
Why? Because the Lord our God is full of hesed, charis, agape, covenant love for you. He is so abundant in this love, that the Bible says, He is love (1 John 4:8).
One last question from the Apostle Paul. Allow me to paraphrase Romans 8:32: "If God did not spare His own Son, but sent Him to the cross to save us, shouldn't that be enough to convince us that He will not withhold any good thing from us?”
Bottom line: God will not only keep His covenant promises to you because He swore a blood covenant oath, but He will also keep His promises to you because He has an overwhelming and driving force in His heart that compels Him to lavish you with kindness, goodness, mercy, grace, loyalty, faithfulness, and unfailing love.
God ... loves ... you!
From God Swears (Pages 96 – 98):
Pastor of The Rock | President of Solid Lives
The passion of his family, and his own life, is to live every day following the plan of God.
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