Relating to JesusՕրինակ

 Jesus Loves You for You 

I know this sounds radical, but a few years ago God visited me in a dream. In the dream, I was seated in a large auditorium similar to a theater or a church. It was filled to capacity and lively with conversation, though there was no one yet on the stage in front of us. Someone shouted, “He’s here!” My head turned to see what the commotion was all about. I couldn’t make out a physical form, but a vaporous shadow moved up the aisle from the back of the room toward the front. A field of energy and streaks of lightning surrounded the giant shape, and everyone remotely close to it shrunk in their chairs under the magnitude of its power.

As the form got closer to the stage, I could make out a person, a man. There was no question as to the identity. It was Jesus. He was at least ten feet tall. The authority and power I felt from Him was indescribable. I had the sense I was in the presence of the ruler of the world. Yet He was smiling and laughing as He walked. His joyful and confident laugh filled the room like a lion’s roar (Job 40:9).

Throngs of people ran to Him, many falling on their faces and worshipping, others just trying to touch Him. I stayed in my seat, partly because I was under the weight of His presence and also because I would never have been able to get close to Him amid the commotion.

Then Jesus turned and looked me in the eyes as if I were the only person in the room. “Jonathan!” He called, motioning for me to come.

Shocked that He knew my name, I froze.

“Yes, you, Jonathan,” He reaffirmed, His voice filled with kindness.

I stood slowly and moved toward Him with great difficulty. By the time I reached Him, Jesus had to catch me because I was collapsing. He held me close, and I could tell He loved me even more than a man loves his own child (John 3:16). I was overwhelmed with a sense of acceptance like I had never felt before in my life. It was true agape love.

In that moment, I instinctively knew it didn’t matter how hard I had worked for Him. That’s not why He loved me. Nothing I had done or ever would do could earn His love. Nothing. I desperately needed that understanding. It set me free. My whole life prior, I had worked for His acceptance. I had tried to earn His pleasure. But in this encounter, I realized He loved me just because I am His. He is love. He loves each of us before we ever love Him.