Day 1 - Week 4 - Remember that our first 4 verses are labeled as "The Bible's Fantastic Four"...

...so could you possibly guess what the 4th of these four fantastic verses would be?  It has been called the gospel in a verse, and it is more than likely the first verse you ever memorized...and you probably still have it within easy mental grasp.  Just it's source is used as a statement, as a name for ministries, and as a poster at sports event.  Yes, our final verse of the Bible's Fantastic Four is....John 3:16! 

Now, while you may have a little bit of a breather this week on actual memorization, let's not take this verse lightly.  Let's get into the meat of this very familiar verse--so familiar that in fact when we state it, we tend to recite it without a lot of feeling...and this verse deserves feeling!  Recite it with me now...

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

When you state this verse out loud, which word receives the most emphasis?  I came to a point a few years ago when studying this verse that the word that I now place the most emphasis on is "so."  If God had not SO loved the world, He may not have been driven to send His one and only Son to the earth.  If God had not SO loved the world, He may not have had the plan of salvation for man in His mind from the beginning of time.  If God had not SO loved the world, He may not have been willing to see His Son die on a cross, taking on the sins of the whole world.  I am so thankful that God SO loved the world, and I'm amazed by the depth of His love for such a group of sinful, rebellious people that have had such a hard time accepting His love.

I just read this in Robert J. Morgan's book that I am using for our list of verses, but this has never been pointed out to me before and I think it's just pretty cool...as I said, this verse has been called the gospel in a verse.  But what is very cool is that the word gospel is literally spelled out in the verse...look at this!

For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes shall not Perish, but have Everlasting Life.

Now how about that?  Maybe not a theological breakthrough, but something you may some time use as a point of interest or a conversation starter.

Please don't think, "I can skip this week...I know this one backwards and forwards."  Instead, please ask God to impress this verse on your heart as it has never been before, with a fresh and deep understanding of everything that God has packed in this very familiar, yet very intense verse of Scripture.

Thank You God for SO loving us....help my love for You to grow in direct proportion to my increasing understanding of the depth of Your love for me.