--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...We must say to ourselves something…" description: "\"“...We must say to ourselves something like this: 'Well, when Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think \"I am giving myself to you because you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/timothy-keller-240_covenant_we-must-say-to-ourselves-something-like_938784.png" --- # ...We must say to ourselves something like this: 'Well… ![“...We must say to ourselves something like this: 'Well, when Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think "I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me." No, he was in agony, and he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/timothy-keller-240_covenant_we-must-say-to-ourselves-something-like_938784.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/timothy-keller-240_covenant_we-must-say-to-ourselves-something-like_938784.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/timothy-keller-240_covenant_we-must-say-to-ourselves-something-like_938784.png) > ““...We must say to ourselves something like this: 'Well, when Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think "I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me." No, he was in agony, and he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act of love in history, he STAYED. He said, "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing." He loved us, not because we were lovely to him, but to make us lovely. That is why I am going to love my spouse.' Speak to your heart like that, and then fulfill the promises you made on your wedding day.”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True love persists despite pain, choosing forgiveness and self‑sacrifice over selfish desire. **In simple terms:** Love endures suffering and forgives. Key Takeaway Forgive and love selflessly. Themes love forgiveness self‑sacrifice marriage Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational spiritual When to use this quote - wedding vows - marital conflict - personal growth Key Concepts Christian theology agape redemptive love Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice forgiveness in daily life? - What does self‑sacrifice look like in your marriage? A Different Perspective Love can be challenged by resentment and unmet expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Wedding day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wedding-day/) ## Related quotes > [When Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think “I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me.” No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-jesus-looked-down-from-the-cross-he-didn-t-think-i-am-giving/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“If you marry someone expecting them to be like a god, it is only inevitable that they will disappoint you. 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I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-polish/i-think-it-would-make-the-world-a-little-bit-better-place-if-everyone/) [Mark Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-polish/) > [If I die in my sleep, at least I can actually say that I died doing what I loved :-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-die-in-my-sleep-at-least-i-can-actually-say-that-i-died-doing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I die in my sleep, I can actually say that I died doing what I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merrow/if-i-die-in-my-sleep-i-can-actually-say-that-i-died-doing-what-i-loved/) [James Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merrow/) > [My whole life is driven by love. It always has been. It's never been driven by material things - which are just benefits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/my-whole-life-is-driven-by-love-it-always-has-been-it-s-never-been/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [There was never any strain, because it becomes a strain only if you don't love what you are doing. I loved every moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balachandra-menon/there-was-never-any-strain-because-it-becomes-a-strain-only-if-you/) [Balachandra Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balachandra-menon/) > [We want to be famous as a writer, as a poet, as a painter, as a politician, as a singer, or what you will.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-crews/we-want-to-be-famous-as-a-writer-as-a-poet-as-a-painter-as-a-2/) [Harry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-crews/) > [If I died in my sleep, you can actually say that I died doing what I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-died-in-my-sleep-you-can-actually-say-that-i-died-doing-what-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We want to be famous as a writer, as a poet, as a painter, as a politician, as a singer, or what you will.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-want-to-be-famous-as-a-writer-as-a-poet-as-a-painter-as-a/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [When you're married, the person you would most like to love you is your spouse. And if you feel loved by your spouse, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/when-you-re-married-the-person-you-would-most-like-to-love-you-is/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [If you think it's possible to love your spouse too much, you probably haven't loved enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-think-it-s-possible-to-love-your-spouse-too-much-you-probably/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest thing you can do for your children is love your spouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-greatest-thing-you-can-do-for-your-children-is-love-your-spouse/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [We all desperately need love. If a spouse in a difficult marriage will learn the love language of that spouse, and they will, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/we-all-desperately-need-love-if-a-spouse-in-a-difficult-marriage-will/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“Marriage is the beginning of love for your spouse, not the result of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/marriage-is-the-beginning-of-love-for-your-spouse-not-the-result-of-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Covenant quotes > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [“God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) Various > [There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keepin g God - to know that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-more-blessed-way-of-living-than-the-life-of-faith-based/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/) [Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-covenant-is-an-agreement-between-god-and-man-an-accord-whose-terms/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no exception to this rule: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant." They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-exception-to-this-rule-all-the-paths-of-the-lord-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/what-i-am-trying-to-teach-is-that-when-we-keep-the-temple-covenants/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [No love can be bound by oath or covenant to secure it against a higher love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-love-can-be-bound-by-oath-or-covenant-to-secure-it-against-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 421 Covenant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...We must say to ourselves something like this: 'Well, when Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think \"I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me.\" No, he was in agony, and he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act of love in history, he STAYED. He said, \"Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing.\" He loved us, not because we were lovely to him, but to make us lovely. 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