I was entering one of my favorite songs in the online program a few days ago, “Jesus Loves Me,” by Chris Tomlin. I came to the line in the song which always (alway!) makes me cry tears of gratitude. The line is found in the chorus. “Jesus, He loves me, He loves me. Jesus, how can it be? He loves me, He is for me.”
The very next morning, my email contained a reminder that on the cross, “God With Us,” became “God For Us,” by giving up His life for us.
In high school I got in with a couple girls that were not good influences (looking back maybe I was the bad influence?). We got in a bunch of trouble. We smoked (even in the school bathrooms), drank, cut school, snuck out at night, even took an overnight trip on a bus to LA (not smart), etc.
These girls were with me throughout my senior year, but while they were almost always with me, I cannot say that either was for me. Neither wanted what was best for me, and honestly, I did not really want what was best for them. I just wanted them to keep me company in my sin.
We know that God has always been “for” us, that is why Jesus came to be “with” us. God’s love for His creation was not to be denied, even in the face of mankind’s rebellion and rejection.
Jesus came, not to be with me in my sin, but to become my sin and remove it far from. Jesus wanted (and did) what was for my best. For that, I am filled with gratitude.
I can sing with David, “This I know: God is for me.” [Psalm 56:9 HCSB]
