Have you ever experienced true love and favor that you know you did not deserve? Have you ever felt singled out for favor by someone who made you feel important? Most people know what it is like to be singled out for ridicule or to be simply ignored. To be singled out as special, for most people, is rare, and even more rare is being singled out as special just because you are you and not for something you have accomplished or have to offer.
In his Gospel account, John the Apostle refers to himself as the disciple Jesus loved. At first, this may seem a bit arrogant or prideful, however, in the context of understanding God, this is a very accurate statement. In fact, this is a statement that any born again believer in Christ can make! I am the disciple Jesus loves...
I have nothing to offer Christ but the abilities and desires He has given me. I possess no astounding talent and have no amazing capacity to love others. The Bible tells us all good things come from the Father. Therefore, if there is any good in me, it is there because God placed it there. Yet, bankrupt of any natural ability, I am the disciple Jesus loves. God does not necessarily love me because of who I am, but because of who He is.
Do you want to see the disciple Jesus loves? Go look in the mirror and know you have eternal value to the One who matters most, Christ the King!
Paul, I love this post. It's no accident I met you not long after starting Bible Study Fellowship, where we are studying the book of John. About two weeks ago, we read and studied in-depth about "the one Jesus loved," and learned it was John. But it is also us.
ReplyDeletesometimes we find it hard to accept personal love like at this level because we are so conditioned to be works oriented.
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