12 Ways I Know God Loves Me

One of my favorite things to do is write. I can say what I think and the paper I am writing on never tells me I am wrong! I tend to think of writing as easy and fun. But in the last month, I have been given the hardest writing assignment ever. I was asked to write “12 Ways I Know God Loves Me.”

Dude! Easy! No big deal! Then I started….

I know God loves me because I have a husband who loves me….. So does that mean, if my husband didn’t love me or I wasn’t married that God didn't love me? Scratch that one.

I know God loves me because my kids are healthy…. Which would mean if my kids ever got sick that I would be one of the people God doesn’t love…. Scratch that one, too.

Now I have it, I know God loves me because I have a home and food… but if I were homeless and hungry then… well, you know. More scratch marks.

Then I realized that I am a pompous jerk who has it really easy in life, and if my life ever got difficult, my theology about God’s love would crumble to pieces.

So here is my offering…. The Way I KNOW God Loves Me, by Caroline

At my best, I am a proud jerk. I think I am smarter, richer, healthier, and better off than some people. And I know that I am dumber, poorer, and worse off than others. I believe God and I believe His word. Jesus said, “God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). I realize that Jesus is probably the only one who is righteous (though I think preschoolers and child-like adults tend to be pretty innocent) and the rest of us are unrighteous. And God still pours out blessings on me/us because He chooses to love me/us.

The best part is that God loves me so very much that He sent Jesus (John 3:16) to go in my place to be punished for my sins. He suffered just so I could be brought to God (1 Peter 3:18). He thinks I am worth that! Isn’t that crazy? And while I am busy thinking that what I really NEED is for God to give me lots of money, food, a big house, and unlimited chocolate, He has already met my real needs and He has already met the needs of this whole world (Philippians 4:19).

So no matter where I am from, whether I can eat or not, no matter what disease I have, God loves me so very much that Jesus would humble himself to death on a cross just for me. God did that while I was still a sinner, even before I realized how big of a sinner I was, and I keep finding out even more what a jerk I am. He loves me. And He loves you, even if you are a great big jerk, too.

Caroline Poe, UBC Minister of Families & Education, wife of a husband who loves her, mother of healthy kids, self-described pompous jerk… and loved by God