Bible Reading: Jeremiah 31:1-6

I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. Jeremiah 31:3

WITHIN THE FIRST week at his new school, David realized his wardrobe was all wrong. “When we moved here, my parents said, ‘Only girls have to worry about what they wear,’ ” he said in frustration. “But it’s like there’s a school uniform, even for the guys-clothes bought at one stupidly expensive store. If you aren’t dressed from head to toe in those clothes, you don’t exist.”

Jesus is a unique friend. There’s not one thing you have to do to gain his accep­tance and friendship. That’s sometimes hard to believe, because in every other human relationship, people expect you to measure up to their expectations. You have to earn, beg, or buy their respect. Different people have different kinds of expectations, but everyone has some expectations.

Jesus is a purely loving person. Love is a part of his very being, so it doesn’t wa­ver depending on what you do. He goes on being a friend in spite of your failures, sins, or setbacks.

Love can’t be separated from Jesus. He can’t stop loving you, because love is part of who he is. He doesn’t love you because you behave or look good or wear the right brands-he loves you because he is love to the very core of his being.

You might not know that God loved you even before you became a Christian. Romans 5 says that even when you were God’s enemy, he loved you-even while you were a sinner. If he loved you in that condition, how much more does he love you now as his adopted child? The bottomless depth of this love is revealed in John 15:9 where Jesus says, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”

Jesus will always be your companion. You will always be significant to him. It can never be otherwise. Jesus will never dole out his friendship with you according to your performance; he pours it on according to his love. No one can be the friend Jesus is. When you know Jesus as a companion who affirms you, loves you, and drenches you with significance, then you are free to be who he made you to be. Even the devil’s attacks can’t keep you down for long, because you will bounce back through the encouragement, strength, and love of your compassionate, powerful friend, Jesus Christ.

You are accepted and significant to Jesus. Enjoy!

REFLECT: How is the way Jesus cares for you different from how people often treat you?

PRAY: God, I want to be who you created me to be. I don’t want to be like someone else. I just want to be myself in all that you intended for me.

Share This:

Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
es_ESES