Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord
My mother made this little “Jesus loves you” cross-stitch picture for me when I was very little myself. In fact, I don’t remember a time of it not being in my childhood bedroom, my dorm rooms at college and grad school, or any of my homes or offices. This picture represents the most basic and foundational truth my parents taught me – Jesus loves me, all the time, in all the places, and in all the ways, no matter what.
This little picture has always been very special to me because of who made it long ago (my mother) and Who means it every single day (Jesus). Yet recently after I accidentally knocked it off of my desk, broke the glass, chipped the frame, and then, “repaired’ it with a rubber band, this picture took on a whole new meaning for me…
Jesus does love me when I’m broken and my life feels like it’s held together by nothing more than a rubber band recycled from grocery vegetables. Jesus does love me when I’m wearing the scars of having fallen and trying to keep everything together on my own. Jesus does love me when I’m showing signs of rust, age, and decay that tries to make me believe I’m of no use.
Now, I hope to think that my brokenness draws more attention to Jesus’ love just like the rubber band draws the eye to take a closer look at the words it is literally holding together. And the broken glass and chipped frame makes me stop, take a closer look at what is behind the glass, and reflect that Jesus (does still) love you. There is no bigger, deeper, stronger, finer truth than this – Jesus loves me – broken glass, rubber band, rusty frame, and all.
written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2021
Soul Scientist 