I was very much a church kid growing up. In my public school, kindergarten class I
asked the teacher one day when she’d be taking our prayer requests. Why? I
was a crazy church kid. Swimming pool
time with the cousins was filled with trying to walk on water and impromptu
baptism services. Why? Again, crazy church kid. In the 4th and 5th
grade when my friends’ Walkman was playing NWA and Guns and Roses, mine was
rocking Psalty the Singing Song Book. In
fact, in my 5th grade Halloween school parade I had my grandparents
make me this massive book costume so I could go as Psalty’s son Rhythm. Why? I
was a crazy church kid! I napped under the church pew, learned all my Bible
stories in flannel graph form (Besides Song of Solomon because that would have been
just so wrong), was crazy for Children’s Church snack time (Which was always
gram crackers and Tang), and got my fair share of knocks in the head by an
overzealous “right arm” swing during “Father Abraham”. I was a crazy church kid!
One of the songs we learned in Children’s Church went: 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.
Can I be honest with you? This
is probably one of the first songs I learned, yet it’s probably one of the
principles I struggle with the most.
This idea of God’s limitless love…a love without conditions. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with
the idea of God loving you. My issue is
I know stuff about me. I know that I’ve
done some unlovable things. I know I’ve
knowingly done things that breaks the heart of God. So how then, can He still love me? I think of how He’d love this future version
of me. The one that finally gets his act
together. That guy, he could love: “Just wait, God. Let me get you that guy. You’ll love him.” But until then he’s stuck with me.
One of the first scriptures I learned in Children’s Church tells
me: For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life (That’s right!
We learned it in the King James Version)
“So loved”! Not “liked”. Not “put up with” or “tolerated”. He’s not “toughing it out,” “stuck with,” “waiting
for better offer to come by.” He’s not
even second guessing this relationship He got into with me. The reason I know that is because He’s always
known what He was getting into (That’s what “all knowing” is all about).
“…the world!” I love that there’s
no asterisk (*) in this verse. There’s
no small print. There’s no “some restrictions
may apply.” It doesn’t say “For God so
loved the good guys,” “…the ones who are successful,” “…the ones who don’t blow
it,” “…God so loved His favorites (and you’re not one of them).” I live in this world so that includes
me! And if you live here too, it
includes you as well!
“Jesus loves me this I know. For
the Bible tells me so.” It’s a simple
message. Basic for even a child to
understand. Yet sometimes too unbelievable
for an adult to accept. Perhaps I need
to go back to being a crazy church kid to grasp it.
Yes! Jesus loves me. For the Bible
tells me so!
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