“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
You likely know this song even if you never spent a day in Sunday school. It’s often the very first song toddlers learn because it’s such a simple song.
Yet it’s also one of the most profound statements of the faith.
It’s so easy to say “Jesus loves you,” without comprehending the depth of those words.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Jesus loves me when I barely made it home from a night of drinking. When I’m sleeping with someone I shouldn’t be. When I’m abusing drugs. Watching pornography. Reading smut. Gossiping. Hating my neighbor.
Jesus utterly despises my sin, of course, and would never approve of it. He wants me to stop and repent.
But yes, Jesus loves me. Like a father who loves his wayward and lost children, He cares.
Why? Nobody one earth cares to love a wayward souls suffering the consequences of their own actions. Shouldn’t we get what we deserve? If it was up to us, we would. Humans only know transactional love.
Why? The Bible tells me so.
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6-8 ESV
There is no explanation that will ever suffice, because there’s no reason our sins should deserve anything less than punishment. We are enslaved by our vices and only the Son can set us free.
It will never make sense, and that’s good, because it shouldn’t. It shows a God who loves His creation even when it fails. Whose ways are so high above ours we can’t even imagine.
Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.