Shah Jahan built The Taj Mahal in Agra, India as a mausoleum to honor his beloved wife who died during childbirth. One of the “New 7 Wonders of the World,” tourists flock to the Taj Mahal every year to marvel at its magnitude and beauty.

Some call this treasure the greatest declaration of love in the world.

But as impressive as this monument is, it pales compared to the declaration of God’s love for you and me on the cross.

As the Apostle Paul writes in today’s verse, Romans 5:8, God proved His great love for us by doing something we can’t even fully fathom. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for us while we were still His enemies.

That’s what “while we were still sinners” means.

If you or I were to make a list of people for whom we’d be willing to die, it’s likely the list would be pretty short. And it almost certainly wouldn’t include someone who mistreated or hurt us. Would you die for a liar? A cheat? A criminal? A terrorist?

Thankfully, God doesn’t think like we do. He wanted to restore our broken relationship with Him so much that He came down to earth Himself to pay the price for our sins while we were still actively rebelling against Him.

And He did it to free us from death and give us a life with Him that we could not have gained for ourselves.

For all its beauty, the Taj Mahal reminds us that human love will never be strong enough to overcome death. The humble cross, on the other hand, reminds us that not even death is powerful enough to overcome the love God has for you and me.

There is truly no greater sign of unconditional, undying love than the cross of Jesus. So when you look to the cross, I pray you’ll clearly see the perfect love God has for you.

Dear God, thank you for loving me so much that you were willing to send Jesus to die for my sins—even when I was still your enemy. I pray I’ll be reminded of that great love every time I look to the cross of Jesus. In His name, Amen.

– Nick Hall