Why Me?

“The gospel story is designed to affect us emotionally – and our emotions are designed to be affected by its beauty and glory. It touches our hearts at their tenderest parts, shaking us deeply to the core. We should be utterly humbled that we are not more emotionally affected than we are.” + Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections

In his book, Follow Me, David Platt describes a time shortly after he adopted his son. Platt adopted his son from Kazakhstan. When his son was a young boy, Platt told his son that he loved him. The child looked up at his father and asked, “You love me?” Of course the father’s response was yes. The boy then asked why. The father’s answer, “Because you’re my son.” And again the same question was asked, why? After a moment of thinking, the reply came, “You’re our son because we wanted you. And we came to get you so that you might have a mommy and a daddy.”

Imagine the emotion the child must have experienced. An overwhelming sense of belonging must have overtaken him. This is adoption. And this is the gospel.

J.I. Packer writes, “What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father.”

If you are a Christian, it because you are an adopted son or daughter of God. Read the words from Ephesians, “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Why me? Why did Jesus die for me? Why did God bruise His Son to forgive me of my sin? Why did God choose me? Why did Jesus suffer like a lamb before the slaughter to adopt me? Why was the precious blood of Jesus spilled out for my sake?

Christian, feel with your emotions the overwhelming sense of belonging. You are God’s son or daughter because God wanted you. And Jesus came to get you so that you might have a father and a family. You are His and He loves you with an unshakable, unconditional, unfair, unthinkable, love.

“Being a disciple involves emotional affection for Christ.” + David Platt