Peter, Paul and Mary. Usually, when I think of these names, I think of the famous biblical characters. However, today, I'm thinking about the well-known folk singing trio which began in the 1960s. Actually, I'm not really thinking of them, but of something the Peter of the group, Peter Yarrow, was quoted as saying yesterday in the Providence Journal. He was speaking of how they, the members of the trio, feel about each other, after being together for almost 50 years, and especially after Mary was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004. Yarrow said, What we've learned, and we learned most profoundly when Mary got sick, is how we all love one another. You don't love somebody because they're nice. You love them because you love them. You love them because and in spite of their gifts and their faults. And we learned how deeply grateful we are for the extremely honest and deep association we've had over the years. It seems to me that Yarrow is saying that their group is thankful for the transparency and closeness they have had over the years, because it has resulted in a real and unconditional love for each other. I appreciate so much what Yarrow says here. It is an instructive statement and it reminds me of a greater love.

There is no one Who loves like God does. The Bible says, God is love (I John 4:8). God loves us, because we need to be loved, not because we deserve to be loved. God hasn't waited until we are worthy to love us. The Bible states, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In spite of the fact that every single one of us has willfully disobeyed God and lived in ways that offend Him, He cares for us and wants to forgive us. He wants to live in a loving relationship with us for all eternity, and He has taken the initiative to make this possible. The Bible explains, In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:10). Now, there's a good Scrabble word, "propitiation". Propitiation means the sacrifice which takes away the wrath. See, God's love is not a naive, blind sentimentalism on His part that makes Him overlook sin. God is holy, and hates sin. The price for sin is death. The Bible says, ...so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12). Here is what makes God's love so great! He established His standard for mankind: complete righteousness, and the penalty for not meeting that standard: eternal separation from Him in hell. Then, He met that standard by coming to earth in the person of Jesus, living a perfect life for over 33 years, and then shedding His perfect blood on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. The Bible puts it this way, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). The Bible adds, For God so the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). And further, He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf (on the cross), so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus) (II Corinthians 5:21). Do you want to know if God really loves you? Look to Jesus. Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the dead to completely deliver you from the life-dominating power and eternal punishment of your sins, and to secure for you eternal life with Him in heaven plainly demonstrate He loves you. God's love is completely unconditional. To those who have put their heart's trust in Jesus as their Savior the Bible declares, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Have you ever received this free gift of love God offers to you?

It made me happy to read of Peter, Paul and Mary's genuine love for each other, and I agree with Peter's analysis of love. What Peter said rings so true to me, for I have experienced this kind of deep, unconditional love in the greatest way possible, because I have come to know and believe the love God has for me.