The One Whom Jesus Loved

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jn 1:14

I have always been drawn to the book of John.  This book is generally known to be the gospel of love, and it’s easy to see why.  One of the most well known verses in the Bible rests within this book:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16

But it’s more than just talking about love, it’s the way John writes.  You can hear his love and devotion to Jesus.  His gospel is the only one to begin with more than a matter-of-fact genealogy report or time line of events.  No, John’s gospel begins with 18 verses of devotion to Jesus.

In those verses, John refers to Jesus as: the Word, God, Life, the light of men, a light shinning in the darkness, the true light, glory, one and only, full of grace and truth, giving the right to become children of God, and at the Father’s side.  Can’t you just hear the devotion in his voice?

That’s how his entire gospel is written.  It’s dripping with love.  But there are two instances that always move me.  The first being at the Lord’s Supper in chapter 13.  I absolutely love the way John refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved.”  I don’t get the “pride” feeling from this, as though he is saying he is the only one that is loved, but more of an overwhelming confidence in the Savior’s love for him.  It’s a powerful thing to state out loud, “Jesus loves me,” or “You love me,” and really mean it.  More than just a children’s song, a deep truth that settles into your bones.

But the actual part that I love is in verse 25, “leaning back against Jesus…”  Is that not the best?  Can’t you just picture John leaning against Jesus, knowing that he is loved, knowing that Jesus accepts him just as he is?  That’s what I want.

I’m a hugger.  I hug people that I love.  And not just one of those light, barely there hugs.  Nope.  I grip and squeeze because I want you to know that I love you.  When the day finally comes that I get to see Jesus face to face, you better bet that I’m going to be squeezing.  It’s a good thing that we will have all of eternity because I’m going to be there a while.

My other favorite instance is the last verse of John (21:25) which states,

Jesus did many other things as well.  If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

It’s like John’s whole heart is simply too full to even be able to write it down.  It’s as though he’s saying, “Jesus is too much for anyone to ever fully represent.”  There is so much “awe” in that sentence.

And let me tell you, if the Apostle John had written a thousand books, ten thousand books, I would have read them all.

Oh to finally be with You!

To grip You in tight embrace.

To spend my days holding the One willing,

To save me by His grace.

Never to let go.

Never to slip away.

Always to be there.

Always to say,

That I also am

The one whom Jesus loved.