Bethany Bullet - February 21, 2012

Author John Bishop tells the following story:

Martin Luther’s copy of the New Testament in German was being printed and the printer’s daughter learned of God’s love. The church of the day was not one in which the story of God’s love was proclaimed but rather the wrath of God, His anger, and pending punishment was what was heralded. The standard emotional connection to this God was fear, and such was the young girl’s feeling. One day she found pieces of Scripture that was being printed on the floor. One of these scraps read, “For God so loved the world that He gave…”

That was it.

The rest of the verse had not yet been printed. While we all know it and can quote it - she didn’t and couldn’t. It had never been shared in her language. Still, what she heard was enough to move her. The thought that God would give something for her moved her from fear to joy.

Her mother noticed the change of attitude. When asked the cause of this transformation she produced the crumpled piece of paper with the partial verse from her pocket. The mother read it and asked, “What did He give?” The child was perplexed for a moment and then answered, “I do not know, but if He loved us well enough to give us something, we should not be afraid of Him.” Not a sweet treat, nor a song, nor a stem but His Son…He gave Himself up for us. Beloved since God so loves us let us love one another. For through such the Love Story is heard and adored; for His Story is a Love Story and it is our story. Amen.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer