Jesus, Lover of my Soul

As I woke up this Valentine's Day, I had the phrase "Jesus, Lover of my Soul" on my mind. I thought it was particularly appropriate on a day celebrating love to remember what it's like to be loved by Jesus. Recently, my favorite way of describing the way He feels about us is that phrase, "Jesus, Lover of my soul." What a beautiful concept, when you think about it.

You see, I was talking to a friend on Tuesday about how much I stress doing the right thing the right way. Especially with God, I feel like I MUST follow His will to the letter and never make a mistake. She, my friend, that wonderful snuggle of wisdom, gently reminded me that we are called to run with perseverance the race set before us. With perseverance, not with perfection. Why is this distinction important? Because Jesus is the lover of my /soul/, not of my perfect track record (no pun intended), not of what I do for Him, not of my good decisions. He loves me, the very essence of me. The impact of that is that I try to do right because I love Him, not so that He will love me. What a big different in outlook and stress levels!

Of course, having someone be the lover of your soul contrasts some human relationships too. It's so refreshing to not have to wonder for a moment whether Jesus loves you for what you can do for Him, or for your body, or for your happy personality, or for the help you give Him. In human relationships, what happens when any of those things change? What if you are too tired and can't do something, or when you gain weight or get old, or when you're sad and grumpy, or when you have other things to do and can't help out? If you're like me, you sometimes fear that one or more of those things could be cause for lost friendships or relationships. But what if people loved your soul, loved you for the essence of you, and because they loved YOU they also loved those other things, unconditionally? What if someone thought you were beautiful even though you had bed head and were wearing sweats and maybe even had some mascara smears from crying? What if someone still wanted to help you even if you right at that moment didn't have the strength to help them? Jesus shows us that kind of love.

This Valentine's Day, remember the Lover of your soul. Thank Him for his unconditional love of the essence of you. And as you go through life, experiencing different shades of love through friendships and romantic relationships, remember that you have an example to live up to and to evaluate with.

Love and be loved.