Jesus Loves You! The simple truth of those three words is something that I hope to share across the world, in a way that people can truly resonate with. Consequently, I realize that it is also one of the hardest concepts for most people to believe. You see, in saying this, you need to know that I am not just trying to reach a person who does not believe in Jesus yet. On the contrary, I am also speaking directly to followers of Jesus who struggle with accepting the fact that Jesus really does love them.
The concept of “unconditional love” is not something that comes easily, yet it is exactly the kind of love Jesus has for each of us.
Admittedly, I am confiding in you that I have battled with the thoughts that tell me it just couldn’t be possible for Jesus, the Savior of the world, to love someone like me. No matter how many times I say the words “Jesus Loves Me” there are still parts of me that struggle with the simplicity of it. Of course, I know wholeheartedly that it is true, but the argument within me arises from the knowledge that I know I do not deserve it.
There is nothing that I could ever do that would earn the love that Jesus has for me, and the same is true for you. Jesus came to this world to fulfill His Father’s will. It was all part of God’s plan of salvation, and Jesus is the only way for you and I to be forgiven of our sins.
Jesus knew the whole plan before He came to earth as a baby. He knew the horrible death that He would one day face on the cross in order to pay the price for all the things we do wrong. With that said, let me share with you that I have been watching “The Chosen” and I highly recommend it! One thing is strongly portrayed throughout the episodes by the character of Jesus. The fact that Jesus knew what was going to transpire at the cross is evident, and you can almost see the weight of what he faces bearing down on him.
Each time I watch, I truly sense the sacrifice that Jesus chose to make for me personally. He willingly chose to take my place and yours, when he went to the cross. I am humbled at the magnitude of His choice! I’ll challenge you with this question: “If that isn’t love, what is?”
On my best days, I could not deserve such a love as Jesus has for me. On my worst days, it’s easy to listen to voices of doubt that say He couldn’t love me for a multitude of reasons stemming from my many mistakes. Thankfully, neither of those thoughts make any difference, because it is not based on anything that I do, or do not do! Jesus sets the bar, and is the definition of unconditional love!
Thankfully, the love of Jesus is not based on performance, acceptance, likability, merit, or achievement.
More often than not, we find ourselves in relationships where love is something we strive to earn from those we care about. We work hard at it, and bend over backwards, as the saying goes, trying to keep the precious feeling of love in relationships. But if we are honest, we still have times when love fails.
Human love is often fleeting and hard to for us to hold onto, and it has the ability to hurt us deeply. We learn to guard our hearts because this love is conditional, and tends to change on a whim. Our inability to earn love in these types of relationships whittles away at our entire perception of what love really is.
It’s no wonder then, that we struggle with the idea that Jesus could just love us without us doing something drastic to earn it. What’s more, I think it is fair to say that we have a hard time believing that we are even lovable.
Jesus changes everything! He offers us a love that is unexplainable, and unattainable anywhere else. It’s a love that is unconditional!
Trust me when I say that the enemy knows how much Jesus loves us.
The enemy of our soul, Satan Himself, wants to demolish all thoughts of unconditional love in our minds. This is an important area that he will continually attack in an effort to defeat us, and he does it well. He is the accuser, and he loves to remind us of our failures, and mistakes. Pondering the truths of our messy pasts, can easily stumble us if we let it. Obviously, when our focus shifts to those things, it brings up thoughts regarding our inability to earn or deserve love, and he is winning the battle.
Let’s fight back against those lies of the enemy!
Here is a little ammunition for you to use on days when you feel unworthy of the love of Jesus! Look at yourself face to face in a mirror and remind yourself of a few very important facts! Post them on your mirror if you need to! Repeat these things to yourself:
- Jesus loves me!
- Jesus wants to have a relationship with me!
- Jesus cares about me and everything that concerns me!
- Jesus died so that I could be saved from my sins!
- Jesus does not require me to earn His love at all!
- Jesus loves me unconditionally, just as I am!
- Jesus makes it possible for me to spend eternity in Heaven!
- Jesus is the Savior of the World!
- Jesus was born, died on the cross of Calvary, and rose to life again!
- Jesus is coming back and He wants me to be ready!
Let’s shake off those “not good enough” feelings and exchange them for a victorious voice that allows people to see that we believe Jesus loves us!
At the same time, let’s mindfully acknowledge that we are not perfect by any means! Just forgiven; Just loved; Just accepted; Just Jesus offers this kind of love!
If You Don’t Know Jesus as Your Personal Savior, Today Could Be the Day!
Jesus offers the free gift of salvation also! You can’t earn it and you don’t deserve it, but by the same token as unconditional love, it is part of God’s plan.
God sent Jesus, His one and only Son, to provide a way for forgiveness, just as the Bible says in John 3:16.
As long as there is breath in your lungs, you can choose Jesus.
THIS CHOICE IS ONE THAT ONLY YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOURSELF! I pray that you will stop and think about this very seriously!
Here is a quick reference for any who want to know how to accept Jesus:
- ADMIT that you have made mistakes/sinned, and that you need a Savior.
- BELIEVE that Jesus is the one and only Son of God, who was born, died on the Cross, and was resurrected to life and then Repent and ASK JESUS TO FORGIVE YOU.
- CONFESS that you believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as your personal Savior.