Today, I began to think about certain things, and I thought this may be a good time to strengthen my own faith by re-assessing the reasons why I love Jesus so much. In an effort to bless you with my own reasons and start up a trend of declarations of reasons for our love for Jesus, I have decided to write today’s post.
It is important to remind one’s self of these things, because Jesus had to remind Himself of the purpose and expected end-result of His death in order for Him to carry on with His task: “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” [Hebrews 12:2]. You see, even Jesus had to remind Himself of the joy that would follow [the joy of seeing us become God’s vision] in order to endure the cross and the shame of it.
I sincerely hope you are inspired and blessed by my reasons for loving Jesus so much that you search out your reasons [and possibly share them with us].
Only He truly knows me. I thank God for the friends that I have and the awesome family He has blessed me with. In fact, I dare say that I am surrounded by some of the best people anyone could ever want for friends in this world. But, none of them knows me like Jesus does. And, I cannot expect them to do so. You need to understand that He knows what I like, what I don’t like, the things that inspire me, the things that hurt me, the things that make me angry, my aspirations, my hopes, and my dreams more than anyone else. He knows the things that make me unique. That’s why only He can speak those ever so soothing words that are sure to combat any raging thoughts, confusion, or hurt that men may throw at me. He knows how much more than an expensive gift of shallow worth I esteem a sincere hug. He made me, so no one can ever know me like He does. I love Him for that!
He first loved me. This, I learned from the man to whom I owe my aliases – St. John the Divine [1 John 4:19]. I have thought about the life of the man that died with Christ out of whose death I was born – the man that many know as the ‘old man’, otherwise known as “who I was before I got born again”. I may not have been the worst sinner, but my righteousness was definitely not taking me anywhere. I lived a life that I knew did not completely match up with God’s desire. Yet, even then, He loved me. When I made mistakes, He loved me. When I regretted my mistakes and hoped someone would understand and help me get up, only He [Jesus] was there to pick me up, wipe away my tears, and speak those ever so soothing words that set me on my way. Only He knew how much mess I truly had and was willing to deal with it. Like an orphan child, lost and disoriented, who fell into a ditch [or gutter] and began looking for people to help him clean up, I searched for hope. Door after door, no help came, till I found one who not only welcomed me for a clean-up, but had also prepared for me a new life in His wealth and love. Do you see now why I can’t stop talking about Him?
His “not-so-beautiful” hands. Jesus’ hands still have holes in them from those big Roman nails with which He was nailed to the cross - all for me. You see, His hands are not the most beautiful to behold; don’t imagine the holes in there as perfect circles. No! The nails ‘tore’ His hands; they did not ‘construct’ matching circles into them. Plus, the holes in His hands must have stretched to become ‘uglier’ due to the weight of His body pulling on them as He hung from the cross. His hands are not so pretty, just for me. You had better believe that He still has those holes in His hands till today [John 20:26-27]. Here’s a story I heard very recently that I can’t get out of my mind. A young girl was always embarrassed by her mother’s ‘ugly’ hands – so embarrassed that she always begged her mother not to show her hands when her friends came around. Every time she said this, her mother cried, until one day when her mother sat her down for a story. “My hands have not always been so ugly” she said to her daughter. “In fact, they were once like yours” she continued. “One day, when you were very little, there was a fire in the house and you were the only one left at home. While I was trying to rescue you, because the fire was already so great, my hands got burned. You see, my hands are the way they are because of you; these are the hands that saved you”, said her mother. Upon hearing those words, the girl fell on her knees with tears in her eyes, saying “Mother, you have the most beautiful hands anyone could possibly have”, realizing that she owed her life to those hands. In the same way, those “not-so-beautiful” hands of Jesus’ are beautiful to me today, because they are the proof that He sincerely cares about me.
Many people have told me in my life that they care about me, but only one person has proved it more than anyone else and that person is Jesus. He proved it by giving up His own life so that I may live. He took sickness, bad habits, sin, poverty, confusion, failure, and death on Himself so that I will never have to experience them. Don’t you think He deserves my love and unwavering devotion? He went to hell – that horrible place of darkness – so I will never have to go there. Is He not worthy of all of me? Even if no one follows Him with me, I will continue. Why? I will continue, because He went to the cross rejected and alone.
Like Paul, I have now “suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” [Philippians 3:7]. Now, you know why it seems like we Christians have no life; it is because we are no longer permitted to live as unto ourselves. Except one were an ingrate, the only fitting thing to do for someone else who gave His life for one will be to live as unto the one that gave His life [2 Corinthians 5:15]. That’s why I love Him so!
Please, share with us the reason(s) why you love Jesus; you may never know who will be blessed by your testimony. As you share your testimony in the comment section below, enjoy the following video. God bless you!
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