Jesus Christ–what more could he have done for you?!
I've been thinking about those who don't believe in God, not just a god but THE God and it amazes me that even they were made in the image of God. When someone loves, gives, serves. . .you can see those glimpses of that image of who God is. They don't see it in themselves though. Regardless of whether or not your believe in Him, Sin causes us all the struggle. . . Selfishness, hatred. . . But once you can see God for who He truly is, how can you not desire to give your life back by living for him and loving and serving others?!
I heard this story shared today and I was moved. I didn't want to try to put it into my own words because it was written so perfectly by this author.
I heard this story shared today and I was moved. I didn't want to try to put it into my own words because it was written so perfectly by this author.
"Author and speaker Brennan Manning has an amazing story about how he got the name “Brennan.” While growing up, his best friend was Ray. The two of them did everything together: bought a car together as teenagers, double-dated together, went to school together and so forth. They even enlisted in the Army together, went to boot camp together and fought on the frontlines together. One night while sitting in a foxhole, Brennan was reminiscing about the old days in Brooklyn while Ray listened and ate a chocolate bar. Suddenly a live grenade came into the foxhole. Ray looked at Brennan, smiled, dropped his chocolate bar and threw himself on the live grenade. It exploded, killing Ray, but Brennan’s life was spared.
When Brennan became a priest he was instructed to take on the name of a saint. He thought of his friend, Ray Brennan. So he took on the name Brennan. Years later he went to visit Ray’s mother in Brooklyn. They sat up late one night having tea when Brennan asked her, “Do you think Ray loved me?” Mrs. Brennan got up off of the couch, shook her finger in front of Brennan’s face and shouted, “Jesus Christ–what more could he have done for you?!” Brennan said that at that moment he experienced an epiphany. He imagined himself standing before the cross of Jesus wondering, “Does God really love me?” and Jesus’ mother Mary pointing to her son, saying, “Jesus Christ–what more could he have done for you?”
The cross of Jesus is God’s way of doing all he could do for us. And yet we often wonder, “Does God really love me? Am I important to God? Does God care about me?” And Jesus’ mother responds, “What more could he have done for you?” In our best moments, those times we willingly sacrifice our own needs for the good of others, we are participating, as Edward Yarnold said, in the image of God. We were made in God’s image, and he willingly sacrificed himself for others. The more we come to know this God, and the more we understand our true nature, the more natural self-sacrifice will become for us."
When Brennan became a priest he was instructed to take on the name of a saint. He thought of his friend, Ray Brennan. So he took on the name Brennan. Years later he went to visit Ray’s mother in Brooklyn. They sat up late one night having tea when Brennan asked her, “Do you think Ray loved me?” Mrs. Brennan got up off of the couch, shook her finger in front of Brennan’s face and shouted, “Jesus Christ–what more could he have done for you?!” Brennan said that at that moment he experienced an epiphany. He imagined himself standing before the cross of Jesus wondering, “Does God really love me?” and Jesus’ mother Mary pointing to her son, saying, “Jesus Christ–what more could he have done for you?”
The cross of Jesus is God’s way of doing all he could do for us. And yet we often wonder, “Does God really love me? Am I important to God? Does God care about me?” And Jesus’ mother responds, “What more could he have done for you?” In our best moments, those times we willingly sacrifice our own needs for the good of others, we are participating, as Edward Yarnold said, in the image of God. We were made in God’s image, and he willingly sacrificed himself for others. The more we come to know this God, and the more we understand our true nature, the more natural self-sacrifice will become for us."
James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful God
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