I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jer.31:3)…(with an) unfailing love that is higher than the heavens (Ps. 108).
To paraphrase, Jesus is saying, my love for you didn’t stop at the cross; it’s not like I did my thing and then headed back up to heaven to get back to my other work. I continue to love you unconditionally and forever.
That’s what the Psalmist meant in Psalm 23 (NEB translations), which says, “Goodness and love unfailing, these will follow me all the days of my life.” In Hebrews 13:5, Jesus said to us as he ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God until his triumphant return, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” You’re my girls and I will love you unconditionally without limits. He knows everything about you and loves you anyway.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t love like that. I am a conditional lover. I love my husband but I must admit I love him most when he’s loving up on me. I love my kids, but to be honest, they are more lovable when they behave. I love my dog until he goes tee-tee on the carpet, then I don’t love him at all.
Jesus is an unconditional lover. We wonder if there’s something we can do to lose his love and he says, nope. I love you just as you are—and yes, I know who you are. My mother is an unconditional lover. She’s really the only person I know who truly exemplifies “Jesus love.”
And yes, to answer your question, she KNOWS me.
It says in Matthew that Jesus knows the number of hairs on our head. By the way, if you are blonde (not the kind out of a bottle) but a real blonde, then you have the most hairs, approximately 145,000. Brunettes, 120,000 and you redheads have the least, 90,000. When you brushed your hair this morning, probably some came out. Jesus knows how many you have left!
Psalm 139 says He knows your heart, every thing you do, everything you think and even what you’re going to say… note the future tense. He knows you—all of you—even the dark side. And He loves you anyway.
So, my mom probably doesn’t know the number of hairs on my head but she does know my dark side. She has held my head as I vomited from drinking too much. She has dealt with the aftermath of my sexual activities with boys in high school and college. She’s not been shielded. Surely there were times she was disgusted. But, she was always there… somehow seeing through what was to what would be.
Recently, a woman told my mom, “You must be so proud of your daughter!” My mom responded, “I’ve always been proud of Jackie.” Later mom said to me, “I know everyone’s excited about your degrees, teaching and training. Those are all good things Jackie, but you’ve always been an amazing person to me—with or without these achievements.
My mom’s like Jesus. I know I can be more like her and Him too!
