by Shayla Asselin
But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us
Ephesians 2:4
“Jesus Loves Me” is one of the most popular children’s songs sung by millions of people around the world. Most of us probably learned the words to the song as a child. As we grow older, we don’t forget the words of the song, but we often forget the truth in the song. As life’s struggles and disappointments chip away at our hearts, we can lose sight of the sincerity of Christ’s love.
Imperfect love can leave us broken. We could all probably name at least one instance in our life where someone who said they loved us did not prove it through their actions. Perhaps we’ve been raised around unhealthy relationships and have been affected by divorce, abuse, or infidelity. The words and deeds of those we love can cut us so deeply. If those wounds are left untreated, our hearts grow bitter. It becomes easy not to trust the love of others. We think it is better never to love and trust again. “It’s the people closest to us that hurt us the most anyways,” we convince ourselves. That vine of pain steadily wraps itself around our heart. Every moment of every day is shadowed by the hurt that love caused us. Before we realize it, the unfailing love of Jesus has been forgotten.
Today, I want to remind you that Jesus loves you. It wasn’t the nails that held Him to the cross. It was the love He had for humanity that caused Him to endure such excruciating pain.
I ask you to lift your eyes and see Jesus. See the agony as He kneels in the garden pleading with the Father. See the stripes on His back from the whips as He is wounded for your transgressions. See the pain in His eyes as the very people He came to save shout “Crucify Him!” See the sacrifice of the Saviour as He hangs on a cruel cross to save your soul.
Do you see Him hanging from the old rugged cross - beaten, bloodied, and burdened with our sins? He’s saying, “I love you!”
I want you to see Jesus. In today’s society, we hear the word “love” a lot, but it is not so often that we see the display of love. Our perspective of Christ’s love is often overshadowed by our experiences with tainted human love. In contrast to man’s imperfect love, Christ offers unfailing, agape love. By His life and through the cross, He not only told us He loves us but showed us He loves us. Calvary is the purest profession of love.
Christ’s selfless sacrifice is proof that He was willing to do whatever it took to know you and me.
Despite the lies of the enemies and the insecurities caused by the past, we can rest assured that we are loved with an everlasting love. Romans 8: 38 - 39 says, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Friend, you are loved. Nothing can change that. Will you accept that truth today?
