Tony Steward

I take for granted the phrasing “God/Jesus loves you.” Even growing up in church singing the song “Jesus loves You” - the idea and concept becomes so religious I lose it’s meaning, and honestly, it’s “weirdness.” 

It’s hard enough in the midst of our humanity to discover what love really looks like, or feels like, or means lived out. For those of us who are married we all went through that stressful and exciting time of asking ourselves “Am I REALLY in love? Am I sure?” as we were dating our future spouse. Love is this mystery, a combination of attraction, commitment and risky hope. 

I think it’s easy to through the phrase “We love you God” around as more religious practice - the thing we “just say” - then taking the same introspection as we do when courting a spouse. I don’t think you need to love Jesus, or understand his Love, to become a follower of Jesus and step into his forgiveness. And I think I discount how foreign the idea that God loves someone is to somebody new to Jesus and taking what He taught seriously. 

Where reason stops, faith begins, and there is never enough reason available for the most rewarding experiences waiting for us in life. It’s the same thing with taking a step into the proposal of marriage. Even with years of confirmation that someone loves us, it is still a step of faith to make the ask, and take the small step of commitment. Really, that is a beginning of fully discovering love with someone else. And that idea makes sense to many of us.

The idea of a God who loves us, enough to sacrifice his own Son, and we don’t know yet is just mysterious. It can feel like too much of a gift we aren’t ready for yet, or that makes us feel unworthy. It’s this weirdness I’ve felt, and I think lots of my friends still considering the claims Jesus made about life, people, and God - deal with. 

What I do know, only through unreasonable steps of small faith, is that God does love me. I’ve seen it many times in my life revealed. I don’t understand it completely. But I’m convinced of it, and I’m convinced God loves my friends, my community, and my family. And as I admit the mystery and weirdness of it, I feel a little more freed to lean into the mystery, with small faith, and begin fully discovering what it means to be loved by God.