You Are the One Jesus Loves
John 3:16 | Luke 15 | 1 John 4:8-10

Have you ever believed God loves the world—but wondered if He could truly love you?

It’s easy to accept that God is love, that God sent Jesus for “the world.” But when we know our own regrets, our doubts, our secrets—it can be hard to believe that love applies personally.

But here’s the truth: You are the one Jesus loves.

St. Augustine once wrote, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” That’s not just poetic—it’s scriptural. In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story about a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find the one that’s lost. And when he finds it? He rejoices. That’s the kind of love God has for you.

John, the disciple once known as a fiery “Son of Thunder,” became the apostle of love—not because he cleaned up his act, but because Jesus loved him as he was. Over time, John came to refer to himself not by his past, but by his identity: “the one Jesus loved.” You can too.

God’s love isn’t something we earn. It’s who God is. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). And God, the Father, proved that love by sending His Son—not when we had it all together, but while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

So, whatever your story—whether you feel unworthy, broken, or far from God—know this: Jesus sees you. He came for you. He died for you. He rose for you.

You are not forgotten. You are not disqualified. You are not too far gone.
You are the one Jesus loves.

Say it today, and let it sink deep into your heart:
I am the one Jesus loves.