Jesus Loves Me This I Know?

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Rom. 5:8

“…that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.—Eph. 3:17b-19

I confess. I sometimes wonder if Jesus truly loves me.

This past week, I ran into a wall with one of my children that has made me doubt.

I’m a homeschooling mom, which gives me many opportunities to fail.

This week, I made a big blunder—both as a teacher and as a parent. I know I am in the wrong. Again.

Though comparatively minor to world issues, it rattles my world. I failed to listen and then accuse. I see the effect on his face and in his heart. I feel terrible, wishing I could take my words back.

How could I, one who claims to love and follow Christ, be such a poor example? Shame fills me, and I begin to meditate on ungodly thoughts: I should know better. I should be better.

My spirit spirals downward into despair. In such situations, is there any hope for me? Can I be confident in God in the moments of failure? Will I ever change?

In the past, I would sink even further, thinking I was alone. But now, in my stage of life, I know I am not alone.

You too might have trouble with words flying out of your mouth like daggers that destroy.

Or you might struggle with enticing websites that keep you looking and lusting.

Or you might harbor bitterness that eats you alive whenever that person comes into your orbit.

I’m pretty confident you can fill in the blank with your own examples of things we know aren’t good for us and yet we fail time and again in them.

Contrary to what we think, however, these do not disqualify us from God’s love.

In fact, these moments might be the very moments where we can know His love the most. Not the moments when we make the right choices, say the right thing, or stand in the spotlight of success, but in our mishaps, mistakes, and messes.

God Loves Sinners

Romans 5:8 makes it very clear. Christ’s death on the cross is the penultimate expression of His love.

And this was not after we were cleaned up, not when we got our act together.

It is “while we were still sinners.”

As a human, I have a hard time comprehending this. My love tends to be doled out when earned. If you make me happy, I’ll love you. If you don’t, I won’t—or even worse, I may punish you instead.

But the truth is this: God’s love is nothing like ours. We cannot use our small understanding of love to understand His.

Which is why Paul prays for the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to help us understand the love in which our salvation is rooted (Eph. 3:16). We need to let Him be God on His terms, not ours. We need to let Him grow big.

I Am a Sinner

But in tandem with growing in understanding His love is grasping and acknowledging that I am a sinner. Paul tells us that we know God’s love “while we were still sinners.” This implies that we can and will still sin.

In our modern society, sin is not a politically correct word these days.

And yet unless we believe that we are sinners, we won’t appreciate the wonder of the gift, for it is the lowly and contrite in heart that will experience it the most. It is precisely in these failures that God draws near.

Though He is high and lifted up, His eyes look for the humble and contrite of heart (Is. 66:2). He dwells in heaven, but in those moments of repentance, He stoops down to the lowly (Is. 57:15). Though it is a sacrifice of our pride and self-sufficiency to humble ourselves, “a broken and contrite heart, [He] will not despise (Ps. 51:17).”

For me, my failure was the perfect place for me to be. It humbled me, reminded me that no matter how far I go with Christ, I will still struggle with sin on this side of heaven. I need these reminders regularly—even daily.

That is the grace of our lowest moments. They are reminders that I am a sinner in need of His grace. There will never be a time when I will not be tempted. I cannot rest on my laurels, thinking I have arrived.

God Loves Me

So as I meditate and focus on this truth, I am learning that the way to grow deeper in confidence of His love for me, is actually sinking into the reality of my sin and failure.

Instead of parading my successes to Him and trying to prove that I am worthy of His love, I humbly sink down and admit the truth: I am a sinner.

And because He loves sinners, He loves me. I can be sure of it—not because I am good and deserve it but because I am a sinner and do not.

Ironically, it is the way down that is the path to knowing God’s love.

As long as I mistakenly strive to be perfect in an effort to earn His love, then I negate the gift of Christ. I actually am saying that the cross is not enough—I need to do more. And then I fool myself with my own goodness, thinking I don’t need Him, or I end up in despair wondering if I have done enough.

No, Jesus loves me—and I can truly know this. The Bible tells me that He is love (1 John 4:8, 16b).

His love is patient and kind, bearing with me. He endures all my shortcomings and sins (1 Cor. 13:4-8). He will complete the work He started and one day I will see Him face to face.

So when we fail yet again—and I know I will—be quick to admit it.

I am a sinner, Lord. I have failed you once again. But You have sent Christ right in the midst of it. Thank You for Your love in this moment of failure. Please help me to turn to You in confidence, not cower in shame and defeat. Teach me to trust that Your love is far greater than my sin. And as I do, would You deepen my conviction of Your love that is broader, higher, and deeper than anything I can fathom? In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Jesus loves me, this I know. Period.

What might happen in your life if you believed this is true?