Sharing God's Love

1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Solomon Rosenberg, his wife, his 2 sons, and his mother and father were arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust of WWII. It was a labor camp and the rules were simple: "As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you will be exterminated."

Rosenberg watched his mother and father being marched off to their deaths when they became too weak to work. He knew that his youngest son, David, would be next because David had always been a frail child.

Every evening when Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor, he would search for the faces of his family. When he found them, they would huddle together, embrace one another, and thank God for another day of life.

One day Rosenberg came back, but he didn’t see those familiar faces. He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping, and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it’s not true." Joshua turned and said, "It is true, Poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work, so they came for him."

"But WHERE is your mother?" Asked Mr. Rosenberg.

"Oh Poppa," he exclaimed. "When they came for David, he was afraid and he was crying. Momma said, ‘There is nothing to be afraid of, David,’ . . . . And then she took his hand and went with him."

There are few things as strong as the love of a parent for their children – a love so strong that it would choose to give up life so their child can be comforted.

The love of Mrs. Rosenberg pictures the sacrificial love Jesus has for us. In order to take away our fear of death, He went before us (Hebrews 2:14-15). He met death "head on" – in fact, He died for us so that we might have the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:10). Jesus was buried but emerged from the grave victorious, so that we might have hope in the Resurrection. "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:55, 57).

The victory belongs to those who submit their lives to Christ: believing in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Victory will continue to be enjoyed by those who continue to follow Jesus faithfully for the rest of their lives (1 John 1:7).

Today is a good day to share that love not only with your children but to those He brings into your life.

Dear Lord, help us show your love to all those that come in our path today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.