The other day, someone sent me a list of riddles, which led to the realization that I’m not very good at riddles. I figure I need practice, so I’ve been testing the patience of those around me, thinking up riddles of my own, some better than others. Here’s one: What do a picnic in Wales, a jasmine blossom in Indonesia, and a prison visit in the Philippines have in common? (As usual, the answer shouldn’t be provided right away, so I’ll come back to this later.)
On to the topic of this issue—do you ever wonder what’s on God’s mind when He thinks about you? None of us are as kind, generous, or loving as we should be and want to be. The reality is that our selfishness and arrogance often cause us to fall short even of our own low standards. It’d be easy to imagine God being tired out with our never-ending shenanigans. And yet, the answer to this riddle is the exact opposite: God’s Word promises that “the Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.” 1
God cannot get tired of us, because He is love itself. 2 He loves the world He made, and He loves each of us despite our mistakes and shortcomings. In fact, God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to become one of us and to open the way for us to have eternal life if we simply believe and receive Him. 3
In His ministry, Jesus traveled through Galilee and Judea, teaching God’s Word, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. In every way, He demonstrated God’s love for us and His desire to heal us spiritually as well as physically, and He continues to do so today. It is His nature to be kind and to give happiness.
So what do the picnic, blossom, and prison visit have in common? The contributors to this issue of Activated have listed them as demonstrations of God’s love they experienced in their lives. I hope you’ll enjoy reading how they came about.