"Oh How I love Jesus, Because He First Loved Me.”

“Oh, how I love Jesus…”
Those are probably some of the most over sung words in all of Christendom, yet every time I sing those words, I find myself asking the same question over and over and over again; Do I really love Jesus? It’s far too easy to sing those words at the top of our lungs, hands raised, eyes lifted to the skies without really meaning a single word that we sing. These words can either be a display of your complete surrender to Jesus, or they can label you as the biggest hypocrite around.
When we really love someone, we try our absolute best not to hurt them. We keep out words, our deeds, our action in check, we make sure we do nothing that would break the heart of the person you’ve given your heart to. Singing these words, you’re basically saying, “Jesus I love you SO much”, but how can we say that when we’ve repeatedly put aside how Jesus would feel about something, and chose ourselves over Him. We intentionally hurt Him, but then we say how much we love Him. Sounds a little off, doesn’t it?
Now if this sounds condemning or hurtful to you, please don’t tune this out and get angry over the question. This same question is probably poking and prodding you the same way it does me every single time I sing this song. If it’s stinging a little right about now, you should probably keep reading.
“…because He first loved me.”
We’re humans; you, me and the rest of the world, we’re all humans; and so by our own nature, we’re selfish beings. It is so easy for us to take, but very difficult for us to give. Some of you are probably thinking, No, it’s hard for me to take. Well, I’m right there with you, when someone offers their help, my first reactions is No thank you, I’m okay. I’ve learned the hard way that my saying no was nothing more than my pride standing in the way of me accepting help that I desperately needed. Sadly enough, I’ve found that I’ve let my pride get in the way of my relationship with Jesus.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2:6-8
I don’t think it’s possible to read those words and not be in total and complete awe of the sacrifice that Christ made in order for us to have new life (and life more ABUNDANTLY!) in Him. Yet, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve questioned and have turned away from His love because my pride got in the way. I never did anything to earn His love, I was a sinner, dead in my sin, every single thing I did was for myself, to please my selfish nature. How could I accept someone’s love? Especially when I didn’t do anything to earn it? What made me deserving of it? Without me doing anything, He loves me with a complete and perfect love. The God who spoke everything into motion left heaven for you and me. He gave His everything, in complete love for me.
For a lot of us, it’s so hard for us to accept something we didn’t earn, something we aren’t worthy of. Quite honestly, none of us deserve anything. Because of His love, we’re able to love Him in a small way. Because He first loved me.

“…how (do) I love Jesus…”
Yeah. This is a hard question. Until six weeks ago, I thought loving Jesus meant just going to church, spending time in prayer and in the Word, and “doing” things for Him. I couldn’t be further from the truth. Loving Jesus is about abandon. It’s about me stepping outside of myself, and giving myself completely to Him. My love for Him should carry me outside of myself for His purposes.
“Oh how I love Jesus, because He first loved me.”

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