DOES JESUS REALLY LOVE ME?

Growing up in church, I was the odd man out. Everyone seemed so sure that Jesus loved them, but I secretly had my doubts.

Even at a young age, I tried to be perfect for Jesus. I sang "Jesus Loves Me" with my whole little heart.

"Jesus loves me…"

But when it came to the second line…

"This I know..."

I didn't. Not for sure.

I loved Jesus, but how could He love me? All the rules and pressure made God's unconditional love hard to see. Still, I dutifully sang line three:

"For the Bible tells me so…"

I earned a shiny gold star for memorizing John 3:16:

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

It was simple. Everyone who believes in Him, not everyone who did it perfectly.

But the simple truth was stuck in my head and couldn't get to my heart because it was blocked by fear of failure.

I thought love depended on me.

Fear's like a locked door, preventing us from trusting God to love us for who we really are, only for who we pretend to be.

But that flimsy door splinters in the presence of love.

You might be all grown up, but you'll always be God's child. He didn't leave you then. He's not going to leave you now.

"Little ones to Him belong…"

Jesus shows up at the door and knocks when your house is a mess, you haven't slept a wink and your soul is a wreck.

His love shows up strongest in your broken places.

"They are weak, but He is strong…"

Open the door. See His smile. Hear Him say, "Sit down. Let me pour you a cup of coffee." Watch Him go to work.

God's love makes you perfect, not the other way around.

Nothing can separate you from God's love. Not even you.

Before you know it, you'll be singing, too.

"Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me."

The Bible tells me so.

"nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)