He Loves Me

As I sat in church today, listening to our pastor, I was reminded of a simple truth. It’s simple, yet complex. This truth is something that perplexes me, yet it is the foundational truth of my beliefs as a Christian. God loves me. And, you know what? It has nothing to do with what I do or don’t do. It is because I am His child. Think about it this way. If your child came to you and said, “Daddy, why do you love me?”, would you respond with something like, “Because you are so smart”, or “Because you are nice to everyone you meet”, or “Because you are great at everything you do.”? No. All of those reasons are conditional. We love our kids even when they are brats. How many times have your kids driven you crazy all day, and yet, after you’ve put them to bed and they are sleeping soundly, you walk back in and kiss their little cheeks? Your love for them does not change. To a child questioning your reasons for loving them, you would say, “I love you because you’re my child. I have loved you since before you were born and I would die in your place in a heartbeat.” This is how God feels about me. And, he proved it by dying in my place. This simple truth that I have heard my entire life has caused my eyes to well with tears all day as I ponder such a thought. I must have needed the fresh reminder. Sometimes the Gospel becomes boring and I don’t even remember why it changed my life. Today, I’m remembering. This is true freedom.