You Are Loved


“You are loved!”

This phrase has been going around within our circle of friends lately. At first it was just to joke around and tease our good friend Nove Ann Tan since this was one thing she would ALWAYS tell almost every person she encountered. I say it with no exaggeration– almost every. single. person.

To a world that’s not used to this kind of mush anymore, one might respond by just brushing it off, or by replying with “uh, yeah. uh..thanks…?” and of course, a sweet and polite smile. On the other hand, if you say this to someone who’s been in church for quite some time, he/she would probably respond with a confident “Yes! Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so! Thanks for the reminder!” and again, a sweet sweet smile.

What started out as a way of teasing this friend of ours, has now ended up as a part of our usual interaction at home and in church. “You are loved” is now a phrase that one would so often hear, whether I am having a heart-to-heart talk with my girls, or if I just want to lighten up someone’s mood.

This morning Mika dropped something she knew was of some value (sentimental value, I mean). Her immediate reaction was to look at me, awaiting my horrified response. That would have been my reflex, but for some reason I just told her “It’s okay Mika. You are loved!” *and I flashed a Close-Up smile* ๐Ÿ˜€ย  …To this she went about doing whatever it was she was doing, as if nothing happened.

But something significant did happen. Mika was just reassured that she is, in fact, loved.

In truth, this is actually what most of us need to be reassured of– that we are loved. We are loved by our Heavenly Father, the God who created the entire universe…and He loves us unconditionally…and sacrificially.

If only all of us would grasp this truth completely– that we are loved— there would be more people who are so secure in their relationships and less people sucking the life out of their partners.

You are loved“– if only more wives heard this from their husbands, and vice versa, how wonderful and much much sweeter marriages would be!

“You are loved”— if only more children heard this from their parents, how secure they would be growing up!

“You are loved”— if only more teenagers heard this as they were growing up, they wouldn’t be trying so hard just to fit in and find their place in this world!

“You are loved“– if only we could all understand and experience this truth fully, imagine how liberating it will be! We could live our lives not having to worry about what will happen in the future, because we know that our future is secure in God’s hands, who promises that His will for us is good, pleasing, and perfect. We could live our lives not hesitant to step out into what we are called to do because we know we have a Heavenly Father who goes before us and who has our back, who will never leave us nor forsake us. We could give up what God wants us to let go of, and embrace whatever it is He wants to give us, because we know that God loves us to the point of sending us His only Son as a sacrifice and substitute for our sins.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 )

So now friends, I am saying this to you, too… “You are loved.” And I’m saying this with a prayer that you too, will really experience the fullness of God’s love thereby experiencing the fullness of what this life has to offer. In addition, I pray that as you fully grasp this love, you too will be able to live your life spreading this love to those around you. ๐Ÿ™‚

Share the love! ๐Ÿ™‚

 

photo: Carina Santos, Flickr.com

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Jan. 16, 2011