God So Loved The World

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner; the
people were in and out of the cold. He was so cold that
he wasn't trying to sell many papers.

He walked up to a policeman and said,
"Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy
could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You
see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down
the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure
would be nice to have a warm place to stay"

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You
go down the street to that big white house and you knock on
the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16,
and they will let you in."

So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door,
and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16 " The
lady said, "Come on in, Son."

She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker
in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The
boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16. I
don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?"
He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of
days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"

The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table
full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat
any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16. Boy, I sure
don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with
warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while.. As he soaked,
he thought to himself: John 3:16. I sure don't understand it,
but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath,
a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I
stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him.. She took him to a room, tucked him
into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck,
kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the
darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that
cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16. I don't understand it
but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to
that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back
to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace
and picked up a big old Bible.

She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do
you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am,
I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the
policeman told me to use it," She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and
began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that
big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there
and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a
lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was
willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus  would agree to
do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every
angel in heaven as they watched  Jesus  suffer and die. I don't
understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till
the end. I don't understand it, but it surely does make life worth living.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.