Running into this portrait, I was reminded of why I love Jesus ...

I guess I love Jesus essentially because He first loved me. And God only knows why! I am reminded almost daily of my sins—past, present and likely future, although the past ones that bother me most are very honestly buried very deeply in the past and won’t show their ugly faces to me again—at least not in any lifetime that I am aware of.

I truly believe that God’s wisdom and knowledge is beyond anything I can fathom—and that makes me wonder even more … how in God’s name (excuse that) can He really love me … and love me so much that I simply can’t grasp the depth and breadth of His Love.

Maybe that’s the most important reason I love Jesus: I love Him because he chose to love me—even knowing in advance every single sin—large and small—that I would ever commit. He chose to save me—to die an ugly and painful death for me—nailed to a board or boards that allowed him to bleed and bleed and bleed—and be spat upon and cursed as His head bowed low.

My Lord and my God!

And yet, do I love Him as I ought to? Heavens no! I hear evangelists state their love for Jesus; I hear churchmen of all faiths openly confess (strange word, in this context) that they love Jesus more than they love anything or anyone else. Can I say that? I wish I could, but my daily activities suggest that I really (deep, deep down) love myself more than I love Him, Who died for me. And that makes me love Him even more—although admittedly not enough!

And yes, I love Jesus because He brings unfathomable meaning to all of this, in a strange and sometimes entertaining, maybe even comical—at least mildly amusing at times—way. Watching and listening to Tammy Faye Messner this week on Larry King Live brought this reason for loving Jesus home to me with a crash.

And yes, although I've essentially already stated it, I love Jesus because he’s my best friend—truer than any other and someone who understands the inside—ugly at times and always deficient—me. The real me!

I pray that I can learn—if that’s the right word—to love Him more and more every day.