Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me

By Deborah Lenderman

Romans 5:8   but, God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

When I was a child, the first song I remember singing was “Jesus Loves Me”.  Now did I seriously have a clue when I sang that song for the first time that Jesus loved me? The song repeats that the bible is telling me “Jesus loves me” . . . but I could not even read! So, did I truly believe that Jesus loved me? Probably not . . .  I was a child and did not have a reason to believe. After all, I never met Jesus!

As a 4 or 5 year old, I associated love with the ones who cared for me physically. My parents and grandparents loved me, because they physically took care of me. They took care of me when I was hurt, they nurtured me when I was sick, they clothed me, covered my feet with shoes, gave me ice cream for the heck of it, (because I really loved ice cream! . . . they said they disciplined me because they loved me . . .. (seriously, you discipline because you love?). They kept me close till I was old enough to make decisions on my own. Then, when I was old enough, they loved me enough to set me free to make my own decisions. When I ventured into the world without my parents, my sense of adventure became extreme. My values were below creditable standards and I learned that while sin was wrong in my Lord’s eyes, I was blinded by the fun of sin. I disappointed my parents on several levels, but never once did I NOT come home to the lack of forgiveness and concern. Never once, did they turn me away or not welcome me home. They loved me unconditionally. They allowed God to intervene and produce the change that would connect me forever to Him. It took around 10 years, but God never once gave up on me and was there with open arms of forgiveness and love.

I believe God, when He instructs us to raise our children in His Word and they will return to the Word.

I am a living example of love gone wrong and then righted by the grace of Christ. God allowed those consequences in my life to be so extreme in order to ensure that I would never forget the moment when I realized that He had called me back to Him.

Do you have a moment like this?

If I had not experienced the love of my parents and others, I might not have recognized the love of my Heavenly Father or I might have never known that Jesus loves me. As we have been loved, are we not called to love others as well? Are we not to forgive as He has forgiven us? All so that others will know HIM.

We do not have to be parents, nor do we need to have parents in order to understand the love of God. We just have to become sensitive to the ones that God will send our way to give us that message.  Can you think of people God has put in your path as a connection to Him?  Have you encountered a kind word, a gentle touch on the arm, a warm smile in a crowd, someone opening a door, or giving up a seat so you can sit?  Someone paying for your lunch in line ahead of you, or your toll ticket before you reach the window?  Someone holding you while you cry, praying for you when you can’t . . .. These angels of mercy are loving you so that you may know love as well.

Reflect this February on how God has shown you love and how you might love others. Love in small ways and in large ways . . . so that others will know about the love you have experienced.

Romans 8:37-39 . . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure 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.