finding worth in the Lackluster

“finding worth in the Lackluster”
a devotional by Andrew Lawyer

Alright, say it with me, “John 3:16, For God so loved—-”

Oh don’t you give me that! I can practically hear the boredom in your voice from my house!…

Okay, so maybe I can’t, and maybe you didn’t sound bored, but if you grew up in the Church, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about here.

John 3:16 has suffered the same damage from repetition that single words like “beautiful” or “awesome” have experienced.

It plays an essential role in Church Youth programs (AWANA for example), and has been heard so many times by children and adults alike, it has become a sort of “Christian Cliche.”

But what does it really mean?
Why was it deemed so important at one point that it has been repeated so many times? What are we missing?

What is its worth?

John 3:16 For God (the Creator of the universe) so loved the world (a world that hated and despised Him, choosing to fight Him at every opportunity to this day) that He gave His only begotten son (the Father not only gave up His son whom He loved dearly, but sentenced Him to stoop to our level) that whosoever (anyone that) believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (no threat of separation from the Lord, enjoying complete Peace at the hands of both Grace and Mercy)

(my slowed-down interpretation of John 3:16): For the Creator of the universe so loved a world that hated and despised him, choosing to fight him at every opportunity, that the Father not only gave up his son whom he loved dearly, but sentenced him to stoop to our level so that anyone that believed in him should suffer no threat of separation from the Lord, enjoying complete Peace at the hands of both Grace and Mercy.

This verse single-handedly displays the Love of our Lord in a gorgeous way.
It’s a verse that shows very explicitly, yet simply, how we are saved.
John 3:16 is a beautiful writing that is often given so little of the appreciation that it deserves.

Well then, are there others?
Romans 3:23 comes to mind, rolling off the tongue to reprimand the self-righteous or prideful.
Or Psalm 23, spoken aloud as a comfort to another.

These verses are everywhere, sometimes they are the ones that a program has “worn-out,” a Church “over-used,” or perhaps they are even the ones that you yourself found to be extraordinary in their relevance to your struggles at one point, but have since lost importance to you.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to stop the next time you bore yourself with the Word, chances are you missed the valuable part because, when it comes to the Bible, there is no such thing, as lackluster.

Andrew Lawyer