Joy
John 15:9-11 (NIV)
‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’
…so I have loved you. Yes, YOU.
There have been many, many times in my life where I have not loved myself. Not at all. Far from it. And it’s in those moments that I have chosen to think that I am not worthy of the love of Jesus. And do you know what… I still have those moments. It’s usually when I don’t think I’m good enough, I feel shame, I’ve shouted at my kids, had a bad day at work, or wondered why my life hasn’t turned out a particular way. When comparison creeps in, steals my joy and I feel empty and hollow.
But I’ve discovered there is another choice. It’s a choice to turn back to my childhood, before the days of mistakes and remember the simple words my Grandma sang over me:
‘Jesus Loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, JESUS loves me,
Yes, Jesus LOVES me,
Yes, Jesus loves ME,
The Bible tells me so’
And I return to the place of coming to Jesus as a child and realise how much more my Heavenly Father sings those words over me. I allow those words to wash over me again and again and fill me. I allow myself to hear that Jesus loves me. Because the Bible does indeed, tell me so. In the mess, Jesus loves me. He hears my heart; he hears my sorry for when I’ve drifted from him. He hears that I want my life to be intertwined with his, to walk in step with him and keep his commands. And in the process, I recognise again that I am his beloved daughter, and the joy of Jesus in me fills me to overflowing and I feel complete. In him my joy is found.
Prayer – Lord, when I don’t feel loved, help me to know that you love me beyond measure. I am your precious child, and you love me in all the seasons and circumstances of life. Help me to know true joy is found in you. Help me know that my identify is found in you, and in you I am complete. In Jesus’ name.