In their book, The Missing Commandment, Jerry and Denise Basel quote an abuse survivor talking about how she sees God. She said, —“I feel like I will be the lost lamb Jesus goes trudging into the cold dark to find—when all the rest of the good little flock is safely in the barn—only to have Him shake His head at me, pick me up with a sigh, and wonder why He puts up with me. I wonder if there was ever a point in my life where He looked at me with pleasure, or was He always disappointed with me? Was it something I did? Or just who I am?”

Thankfully, the Good News of Jesus Christ tells us exactly the opposite. God so loves you and me. The Lord loves us with an everlasting love [Jeremiah 31:3]. God deeply loves you and me and the world—deeply enough to send His one and only Son, Jesus [John 3:16]. The apostle John described himself as the one whom Jesus loved [John 13:23, etc.]. Today is a great day to tell yourself, “I am the one whom Jesus loves.” It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? What a good change from the usual self-talk.

Anyone who has seen Jesus Christ in all of His tenderness, gentleness, compassion—in all of His intense honesty, tenacity, and righteous anger—and in all His mercy, grace, and love—has seen the Father as well. Jesus perfectly mirrors the Father, and both of them love you and me. Isn’t that wonderful good news? It sure is!                 

This is Luis Palau.