John 3:9-15

John 3:9-15 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Is that the question on all of our minds at times -- how can these things be?  We hear what Jesus says, we read about the miracles performed in the Gospels, we read the incredible promises from Paul in the New Testament letters, reminding us that we are loved unconditionally, without cause or merit, and that we are awarded heaven because God loves us.  All of these things are too incredible for us to fathom, too great to grasp with the human mind. 
  What Jesus tells us is exactly right -- our minds cannot immediately grasp heavenly things.  We have to start with the earthly things, and this is exactly why God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ.  God knew we couldn't just grasp the concept of the free gift of salvation unless we saw, with our own eyes, the limitless love of God displayed on the cross and through the resurrection.  We needed to see the truths of heaven displayed here on earth before we could grasp how high and how wide the love of God is.  God translates himself into our world so that we might begin to understand, to get a glimpse of what heaven is like. 
  Now that we have seen on earth, we can begin to believe that God is, in heaven, all powerful, all wise, all loving, and completely majestic.  We have seen this, and it has been passed down to us, and so we can then believe!