God Loves You

Yesterday, during my sermon, it occurred to me that a big part of what I do as a pastor is to remind people that God loves them. When we forget this, or more accurately, when we fail to fully believe it, we always get into trouble. As a follower of Christ, we live from the foundation and out of the certainty that God loves us. Straying from that sure foundation leads to acting in ways that are out of step with our calling.

It reminds me a bit of a person I used to work with. Every time we’d part company he always had this parting shot: “Hey, Brian, remember. . . Jesus loves you.” Now at first, I thought he was being funny, but then I realized that there are times I need to hear that, because I forget it. So let me say this clearly today, if you need to hear, “Remember! Jesus loves you.”

I mentioned Rich Mullins last week. One of my favorite songs that he wrote is titled, “The Love of God.” The first verse says:

There's a wideness in God's mercy

I cannot find in my own

And He keeps His fire burning

To melt this heart of stone

Keeps me aching with a yearning

Keeps me glad to have been caught

In the reckless raging fury

That they call the love of God.

It reminds me that not only do I need to remember God’s love for me for myself, but God’s love also melts my heart of stone so that I can love others in the way I’m called to as well. It’s a part of our mission statement here at North Danvers, “We are followers of Christ led by his Word, reaching out in love.” How can you express God’s love to somebody today?

God bless, Brian