The Deep Woods of God's Grace

It strikes me that God wished to have a people to love, wherein love would freely and eagerly be returned. Now, he could have programed us to give love responses, but that's like those dolls with the string in the back. It is not genuine. On the other hand, free will means man will choose, but will be selfish and always choose self over God. Well, there you have a problem. Pride and selfishness will keep us separate from God. Even if He did just go ahead and forgive us and take us into Heaven (which we know is impossible, but even if) then we would not love Him then and more than now. But what if through self-sacrifice God could demonstrate a plan of redemption wherein He gave of Himself to save us from certain and eternal destruction because, according to the spiritual laws of the universe, He is holy. Unholy cannot abide in His presence any more than wooden trees can grow on the sun. So God devised a plan of self-sacrifice wherein we might see the measure of HIS love for us in that none should have to perish if only they would accept his gift of self-sacrifice. That love would be so appreciated and His mercy so overwhelming that we would be forever grateful and love Him freely in return. Now, what if more than just saving us from flame of fire He also offered to make us joint heirs in the riches of His Heaven for all eternity? How much more would we appreciate that grace. And not only so, He gives us all the tools we need to make that decision, Faith, Grace... that make it effectively zero our effort to enjoy salvation as He does it all on our behalf, would that we simply accept this gift? That is the way of winning the hearts of a people undeserving with a plan of redemption that far exceeds any expectations of mere mercy and far into the deep woods of His grace. Amen!