Jesus Loves Me This I Know??????

Another voice wonders!

I am wondering if we truly believed that “Jesus loves me this I know” our world would be more grateful, compassionate, accepting of differences between us. I have gone to church most of my life and it was not until I felt and believed in God’s love, in Jesus love and in the love of the Holy Spirit that I became a true believer.  The passage that helped me I found in Ephesians:

16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.(Eph. 3:16-19)

I  wonder if Christians truly believed that “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so” the world could be more grateful, loving, compassionate. Living from a space of being loved and accepted lowers barriers within an individual and among people. Living with pointed fingers, a list of do this, don’t do that becomes oppressive. I don’t think anyone likes to be oppressed. I wonder??

What I earnestly believe is that when someone isn’t loved they don’t know how to love.  Or that they don’t know how to feel loved when it is offered.    

Your wonder it not without merit!  It reminded me of a a story, our Spirituality Professor told us,  about a  young man who had been out of seminary for two or three years.  He wrote to the Professor and said:  “Why didn’t you tell me that meant me?  The “you” in Jesus statement of love meant me?”

We hear the phrase, God loves you!  Jesus loves you!  And we think plural not singular -- not personal.  Or we think it means all those people way back in the Bible Stories.  But not us today!  As a matter of fact I have been told: “Well God may love, you but he could never love me. I’m too rotten inside.”

There was a time in my life when I could not feel the love coming to me.  I could not feel the good and kind things people said to me about myself.  It was like I had a plexiglass tube surrounding me.  And all those kind and gentle words just bounced off the plexiglass; never connecting with my thoughts or feelings.   I didn’t believe them!  The exception was my mother!  I knew she loved me, no doubts!  But there was also a tiny “but” that lived inside of me.  “But,”  if she could actually see the real me inside how would she feel?

And as far as God’s love!  I never really questioned his love.  I just didn’t think I deserved it.  The blessing, in my journey, was that I had this crazy fondness for Jesus.   That kept me going, and trying, and staying close to what I learned at church.

Now as I think back, I am wondering to myself, why?  

Why?  Was I a horrible person?   No!   

Did I do, say or think bad things to others?    No!  

Did I swear, or drink alcohol, or do drugs?    No!   Well okay!   Maybe I did swear in my dorm room at  college.  But never, hardly ever, in public(;  

Thankfully, today I totally believe — feel — God’s love.  My entire ministry has been focused on how to help others to feel it — have faith in it to.

You have asked a very profound question.  Because, most people do not feel loved!  They don’t even feel acceptable!  And I am convinced that one truth is the basic issue behind all of the anger and destructive behavior that has loomed so very large in our culture.  

When people don’t feel loved, they feel worthless.  Or, not acceptable!  So they act out as one who doesn’t give a rip about anything or anybody.    Who cares?  

Not too many years ago, I’d say eight or nine years ago,  I struggled, for a time,  with the Biblical call to love.  I experienced many circular conversation within my mind.  The questions I begin to ask was: If we love someone enough will they offer it back?  Does love honestly work? 

The answer I got was no, not always!  It doesn’t seem to work as it is suppose!  At least as God intended to to!

There is a subtle glitch in that little word love.  

People use it a lot.  However showing love,  acting on love,  is a whole different ball of wax.  Someone can tell you that they love you.  But if they don’t express that love in tender and active ways; it creates a reverse affect.  

I have witnessed examples of this with little children and their parents — or any older person — for years.  Their little ears hear of love!  Their little eyes witness the opposite of love!    And you can be sure, if that eye-witness lack of love prompts rebellious behavior in an innocent child; then magnify that by 18, 20. 25 or more years of feeling unloved.

BOOM!

Anger reigns upon the earth!  

Acted out in all forms of damaging words, actions and all-manner of awful!