This is pretty much Jesus for me!

My friend Amy shared these words with me after I shared a quote from Melanie Shankle’s book “Nobody’s Cuter than You” on a post I read on Kate Motaung’s blog yesterday. The quote I shared was this: “There is nothing as precious in life as a friend who knows you and loves you in spite of yourself.”

Oh my friends, my friend is so right. I am blessed by incredible friends who get these words and live them out in our friendship. But Jesus is the one who truly does this for me. Jesus indeed loves me in spite of myself. Jesus loves me in spite of my own self-doubt. Jesus loves me when I make mistakes as the sinner in me emerges out of me. And Jesus loves YOU in spite of yourself too! Jesus loves you in spite of your own self-doubt. And Jesus loves you too when the sinner in you emerges.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in how the world treats us. We think we aren’t good enough. We think we don’t have enough. Yet the truth is we are good enough. We do have enough. I am reminded of the creation story from the book of Genesis. Every time God created something, God finished by saying, “And it is good!” We need to remember those words. Because in spite of our own selves, Jesus shows up for us EVERY SINGLE TIME! Jesus always finds a way to love even the most unlovable among us. God always declares that all of creation is indeed good!

Jesus came into the world; continually turning the world upside down. He wasn’t at all afraid to sit with tax collectors and sinners. He even washed Judas’ feet knowing that Judas would soon betray him. Jesus died for our sins. But then three days later, Jesus rose from the grave….hope in the midst of the Resurrection.

I look at the world around us and I see so much death and destruction. I hear stories of human trafficking here in my dear state of North Dakota in the midst of the oil fields. I watch the news and see the devastation of an earthquake in Nepal. I also see the riots as they break out in Baltimore. I see the news sharing of the murder of a family in Wisconsin. It seems like around every corner, all I see is destruction. Like in the aftermath of an earthquake, all that remains is the dust and debris that has been left behind. And my heart aches!

Yet as my heart aches, I am reminded of Jesus who loves us ALL in spite of ourselves.

No matter how much we screw up…..
No matter our own sinfulness…..
No matter our own brokenness…

Jesus comes again and again offering us forgiveness of sins.
Jesus comes again and again showering God’s grace upon us.
Jesus comes again and again loving us ALWAYS in spite of our own selves.

Jesus truly is the one who knows every hair upon our head, knows our hearts desires yet still loves us in spite of ourselves.