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 There
is a poem entitled, "Love is too Familiar a Word" and when I
approach passages like this it often pops into my head. Over and
over again we hear two things as Christians; God loves us and we
should love other people. We hear these words so often, and we are
told of God's love so frequently, that the saying becomes too
familiar. The word "love" loses its power and becomes a cliche with
little weight or influence in our lives. And when this happens it is
tragic.
We live in a world where truth is becoming increasingly relative.
It's becoming harder to identify truth. And here, in these words
from the Gospel of John, Jesus once again reiterates the great truth
of our lives, that we are loved by God. This simple statement has
the power to shape our lives like no other truth we will ever
encounter. These words tell us that we may be down but we are never
out. They tell us that dawn always follows the darkness of night.
The tell us that while we might be lonely we are never alone. They
tell us that we are not defined by our failures and shortcomings but
by God's love. They tell us that we have tremendous value and that
we matter. They tell us that there is a purpose and plan in this
world. All of these truths are embedded in the simple statement,
"Jesus loves you."
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On this day I would invite you to reflect on this truth. Ask
yourself how your life is shaped by these words and, if you are
heretofore unmoved by them, try opening yourself to them anew. Hear
them as a fresh word in your life. Hear them and know that they are
never a tired cliche but a great truth.
Prayer: Holy God, please remind me that I am loved and
help me to feel your love. Help to feel that, feeling, I might then
share your love with everyone I meet. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
[Text from File Received by Phil Blackburn, First Presbyterian
Church ]
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