Jesus Loves YOU!

Last month I celebrated the 39th anniversary of handing my life over to Jesus Christ, and that is such an important part of my Journey. As I reflect on the years in between the one overwhelming factor that continues to amaze me is that God would provide such a wonderful means of reconciliation for sinners as His plan of SALVATION through Jesus Christ.

SALVATION is FREE for everyone who chooses to accept JESUS as their SAVIOUR and acknowledge Him as their LORD. Of course, freedom is not a licence to continue to live in the same way as you have always lived, for if this was so then the freedom would be worthless. Salvation grants freedom from SIN, though not freedom from temptation. That will remain, for the devil will constantly seek to trip up the Lord's people just as any other. However, with Jesus in your heart and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead you in the ways of the Lord, it is easier to spot right from wrong and thereby to opt for the right path on your journey.

As I look back over almost four decades of following Jesus I am astounded by the way that, no matter how many times I have slipped up, He has always been there for me. I have no hesitation in acknowledging that my life, in which I find great contentment and happiness, owes those factors to the person whom I am BECAUSE of my love for Jesus.

By nature I am a fairly tactile character, and I recognise the tremendous value of touch, whether it be simply the touch of your hand on someones arm or a hug. Touch, especially when it is in the name of Jesus, offers comfort and sanctuary. There have been many occasions when I have found that a simple touch has spoken louder than a thousand words could ever do.

One of the important things for people is to be reminded that they are loved. It makes them feel wanted, needed, and that they matter as a person. Generally speaking, we all like to be told that we are loved by those close to us. Personally I like to start and close each day by telling the people who matter most to me that I love them, and so the first words spoken in the morning and the last spoken at night will be to tell my wife that I love her. In my daily prayers I also like to tell Jesus how I love Him as well, and every time that I reach out to someone in His name then I reiterate that love for Him.

It's easy to be taken for granted and, therefore it follows that it's also easy to take others for granted. Today, why not change that in YOUR life. Tell the people around you who matter that you love them, that they are important in your life, that they MATTER! Not only will they feel better for it, you will as well. And whilst you are about it, tell Jesus that you love Him as well, and reach out to others in His name to share His love with them.

There are many people who either are or who have been in my life whom I consider it a great privilege to know or to have known, but none has ever had the impact of the greatest friend of all, Jesus Christ. I hope that, through the pages of my Blog, i manage to share Him with you a little, and that you. dear reader, will be blessed by that sharing.

To close this post I would like to share the words of the following hymn with you which tells much of the way that I feel about Jesus, . . . my Jesus, . . . my Lord.

I’ll See Jesus 6.5.6.5. D
Tune: Take Time to be Holy

One day I’ll see Jesus,
We’ll stand face to face;
I’ll offer my praises,
In thanks for His grace.
I’ll worship and thank Him
For His gracious love;
I’ll praise him for ever,
In His kingdom above.

For all of life’s blessings,
My family and friends,
I’ll praise Him in glory,
Where life never ends.
I’ll praise Him as Shepherd,
As one of His sheep;
I’m saved by His grace, now
My soul He will keep.

Keep me and protect me,
For my sins atone;
All as one with Jesus,
Rest in Him alone,
Then one day in heaven,
Through His saving grace,
I’ll stand before Jesus,
With Him, face to face.

© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, June 2006