JESUS LOVES YOU

John 15:9 I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

Jesus was speaking to his twelve disciples just before He went to the cross. He already knew Judas would betray Him, that Peter would deny Him and that they would all desert Him when the rubber hit the road and yet He says He loves them in the same way His own Father loved Him!

Then He says'remain' in my love'. Have we ever felt like we've let the Lord down, maybe denied Him by keeping quiet when we should have spoken up, gone wandering off back sliding for a while? If so can I share Jesus's own words with you again? Jesus loves you and He loves me regardless of our mistakes or shortcomings or failures, despite our imperfect performance, despite the times when we feel rubbish because we let Him down again - He still loves you and He still loves me.

He knew how important it was for us to 'remain in His love' because if we don't we'll be condemned and feel guilty all the time, but His blood shed for us paid the price for all of it. His blood cleanses us of all iniquity, every sin, and He has declared us to be righteous in Him because He paid for our sins Himself.

God wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He loves us unconditionally - that's the meaning of grace - we don't deserve it but He gives it to us as a gift to receive.

So if you need His grace (and we all do) then let's receive His love afresh from Him today and declare with the old songwriter 'Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.

No matter what happens - remain in His love, keep reminding yourself of it and it will bring you peace. I think I'll just go round muttering under my breath all day 'Jesus loves me'. How about you?

IF YOU ONLY KNEW!

John 4:10 Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."

Have you ever said that to anyone? "If you only knew!" meaning that if they did know they would understand why things are the way they are, or they'd understand you better because they'd know the whole story instead of only a part.

Jesus walked miles out of His way to speak to this lady to meet her where she was at. He knew all about her, but she didn't know who He was and how He'd come to give her a gift that would change her life for ever.  When He offered her living water she could only think inside the box "But you don't have a rope and a bucket" she said. She kept offering up excuses as to why it wouldn't work for her.

How often do we come to Jesus and He offers us this living water too? If we only knew He offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit; He offers us supernatural ability to walk through life's problems with His perspective and power instead of with our rope and bucket.  

When this lady heard what Jesus was saying to her, even before she fully understood what He was offering but she saw the love and compassion in His eyes, she said "Please sir, give me this water!"

Jesus offers us His life giving water right now to each one of us, He says it becomes a fresh bubbling spring within us giving us eternal life. (v.13). We don't need a rope and a bucket we only need to ask for it and Jesus promised He would give it to us. 

You probably 'knew' all this already but sometimes we need a gentle reminder. So if you're feeling 'dry on the inside', and now you've been reminded, let's accept His offer and ask Him for His fresh bubbling spring of life giving water to bubble up in us today and ever day. Amen.