Luke 12:6-7
One of my favorite comedians, Steven Wright, appeared recently on a late night talk show. He was trying out new jokes featuring his dry sense of humor and word play, like this one: "Jesus loves you because he doesn't know you."
It's humorous to think that if Jesus really knew us, he wouldn't love us. Or is it? It's actually one of our greatest fears. I wrote a whole book and video study, Live Like You're Loved, on this topic, stemming from the root idea that, deep down, we believe God loves everybody but have a hard time believing that God loves ME.
I remember a college friend riffing on the phrase, "To know him is to love him," when describing a particularly difficult guy who lived in our dorm, saying, "To know him is to hate him." This is our fear, right? If Jesus really knew us, he would probably hate us.
Fortunately, this isn't true. Jesus does indeed know each of us intimately. He said in Luke 12:6-7:
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Can you imagine that our God somehow takes inventory of all of his sparrows and all of the hairs on our head? And that God prizes us highly? And that we shouldn't be afraid or worry about our value and worth in God's eyes?
I've heard a lovely analogy - God has a big refrigerator, and your picture is on it.
Jesus loves you EVEN THOUGH he knows you. He knows your flaws and warts and loves you anyway. You are his treasured child. Yes, you do things for which you have to apologize, and God chooses to forgive you. But God does it in a spirit of love.
When you realize that your face is on God's refrigerator and not on his Most Wanted poster, when you attain the heart knowledge that Jesus knows you and loves you, you can begin living in the freedom and immediacy of God's love.
Interested in learning how to attain such heart knowledge and actually live like you're loved by God? And to understand that you're also forgiven, sent by God each day with purpose, and invited to eternal connection? Check out "Live Like You're Loved: Living in the Freedom and Immediacy of God's Love" at CecilTaylorMinistries.com/live-like-you-re-loved.