“John 3:16,” the hand-lettered poster reads, and we imagine some sharp zealot who bought a stadium endzone seat to get his message out to millions on TV.
“John 3:16,” the spattered license plate declares, as we idle in traffic and ponder why some driver would request those letters and those numbers for his car.
“John 3:16,” the understated business card asserts, as we turn over all the notes and papers of our day.
These characters—four letters and two numbers—spell out the code of grace. They stand for truths so grand and baffling that we need everyday reminders: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God loves us unimaginably. God gave us Jesus unhesitatingly. God welcomes us unendingly.
Grace is the boldest, most audacious thing this broken world has ever heard—so startling we are stark amazed that it could possibly be true. It’s not the fate that we expected. It’s not the verdict we deserved.
But it’s the gift that God’s deep heart of love still offers us—on any day, in any place.
So paint it somewhere on the walls of your life. And stay in grace.
—Bill Knott