“And there was one…reclining…in the bosom of Jesus, whom Jesus was loving…”(John 13:23 YLT98)
The most transformational thing you can do every day is to be conscious of the Lord’s individualized love for YOU.
NOT conscious of your love for or devotion to Him.
NOT conscious of your failings or how you can be a better person or a more zealous Christian.
But to be fixed on HIS love FOR YOU.
There is one man in the Bible we can glean from who did just that. His name is John. And in his own gospel, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Ironically these words only appear in his own gospel.
This is not because Jesus loved him more. But because John made it subjective. He had the revelation -the deep rooted understanding- that God’s love comes first (1 John 4:19).
He believed God IS Love (1 John 4:8). He knew God’s love was agape (the highest form of love). And because of that, John always found himself in the right place at the right time, even at the foot of the cross.
It’s no coincidence that beforehand, while in the Upper Room when Communion was instituted, John was snuggled up in Jesus‘s arms laying his head on His bosom; the place of intimacy.
“No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known].” John 1:18 AMPC
It was also no surprise Peter, who often boasted in himself, had to “nudge” John to find out who Jesus’s betrayer would be, instead of asking Jesus himself. Beloved, when you “rest upon His chest” by faith, the Lord will shield and share His secrets with you.
For it was John who was given the privilege to see the vision and write the book of Revelation on Patmos. Furthermore, as tradition has it, John was sentenced to die in a boiling vat of oil but emerged unharmed!
This is why it’s imperative to make His love for you personal. No two believers have the same intimate experience with Jesus. His desire is for you to experience a “unique oneness” with Him. YOU are His favorite. He never stops pursuing your heart to pull you in closer to His.
This is my prayer for you…that you would be moved to confess: “I am the one whom Jesus loves!” And that you would come to truly experience this Love that knows no height, depth, length or width (Eph. 3:20).
A Love that suffered like no other man and nailed Himself to a tree for you as if you were the only one alive. A Love that never gives up on you and hopes all things for you. A Love that supernaturally supplies you.
The truth is, when you magnify His love for you personally, you are actually magnifying God, giving Him the place of Source! And from that foundation, I assure you, your love for Him and for others will super-abound without force or burn-out.
Resting In His Love,
Annalee Reyes
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Jesus has been pursuing you relentlessly all your life. If you’ve never received Jesus Christ as your forgiveness, your Lord and your Savior, you can pray this simple prayer from your heart and become born again, a brand new creation and child of Daddy God, your loving Father:
“Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending your Son for me. I believe He came to earth to be born in the flesh to die my death on the cross. I believe His blood washed my sins away and completely cleansed me. I believe He redeemed me from every curse by becoming my curse and was raised from the dead because I was declared justified and righteous. Jesus, come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. I am now fully forgiven! I am a child of God, blessed, favored and incomprehensibly loved. In Jesus Name. Amen!”