but no one - no one - loves you like He does.
John 1: 1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
John 11:35
35 Jesus wept.
i love that verse. even tho He knew that He had the power to raise lazarus from death, he was so moved that He cried over his loss. more than any other verse in the Bible, i think this one shows His love for us as individuals. it shows that when He was physically on earth, He loved His friends 110%.
John 13:1-5
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He knew that His time on earth was coming to an end. He knew what agony awaited him, and yet His thought was always, always for His people. He washed His disciples' feet - even the one who would betray Him.
John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We are to follow His example, to love one another. He spoke this commandment to us. He spoke of loving our neighbor as ourselves as the second greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
How can we deny that He is the God of Love? even on the cross, as He was suffering a most painful physical death, experiencing the worst of humanity - His thought was of those around Him.
Luke 23:27-28a; 34; 39-43
27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them,“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[d]”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(all passages via biblegateway.com)
How can we not do our best to love others who slight us, to forgive even tho we sometimes have a hard time forgetting, since we are not God. And if we are called to love, how can we hold back that love?
He loves us SO MUCH. He created us, He watches over us, and even tho He doesn't make everything perfect for us all the time - He is here for us,
Jesus loves you. Our Father God loves you. the Holy Spirit loves YOU.
*hugs* i love you, too. : )
ttfn! i'm off to play w/ my nephews!
