Wikimedia Commons
Jesus Christ loves you is the most profound statement of our faith.
It is also often dressed in flowers, rainbows, and curlique lettering with glitter. I have to admit–this never worked for me. It always felt like Hallmark marketing. I suspect that it doesn’t work for many others as well…maybe especially people outside the church.
Yet…Christianity without God’s love is just a lot of rules and an obedient slave-mentality. Not the God who is our Father–who loves his adopted sons and daughters.
I suspect most people don’t really realize that God loves them. Including Christians. Despite the Hallmark cards. Indeed, despite the scripture that says so! Why do I suspect this?
In part, it is because God’s action is so great and varied, we can focus elsewhere. He saves us. He heals us. He teaches us. He leads us. He forgives us. He reigns over heaven and earth. He judges the living and the dead. He consoles the broken-hearted.
And under all that, above all that, around all that: he loves you.
And there is a whole world trying to convince us that he does not, cannot, and will not. For example:
- God loves? Really, that’s so…infantile. Touchy-feely. No, God is a distant power who may “love” us in a benovolent way, but there’s no “passion” there.
- God loves me? Well, God loves everybody, so what does that even mean?
- God loves me? Well, I understand he died for my sins. A massive sacrifice, but…is it love? Or was Jesus a good soldier who “did the right thing?”
- God loves me? Why? I am…unlovable. I don’t measure up in this way, or that way, or another way. I fall, all the time. God forgives me, but…is that love?
Everyone in the world wants to be loved. Feeling unloved, they turn to other sources for affection–like friendships, romantic relationships. These can be very good–but they are never an ultimate love. They can’t be. Sometimes, feeling unloved, we turn to much worse satisfactions that leave us feeling even less lovable than before. Sometimes, feeling unloved, we turn to hate. Because at least with hate, you feel like you are protecting yourself against rejection or even coolness. Hate makes you feel angry and strangely alive. But it poisons you and other people. And the buried conviction of unlovableness grows, like blooming bomb cloud in your soul.
Do you know God loves you?
Do you know God is jealous for you?
Do you know God is seeking, plotting, creating ways to let him love you more?
Do you know what it is to rest in God’s love?
If you are unsure, I suggest praying with Romans 8: 38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
…and then pray for the grace to know the depth of God’s love for you. And keep doing that, daily.
Because here is the truth: If everyone on earth truly knew the depth of God’s love for them, everything would be different.
