Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Key Thought | Jesus does not love only the best parts of us. He loves our whole soul, even the parts we struggle with the most.
Key Scripture | “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” – John 3:16–17 (NKJV)
I don’t know what generation you’re part of, but I grew up in the 90s. Worship was just beginning to emerge as a distinct genre. Hillsong was taking the world by storm, and congregations of all denominations were, for the first time, singing the same songs.
This past week, I heard a familiar lyric that immediately carried me back to an old church building across the river, the place where I grew up. It’s where I discovered what it meant to have a real relationship with Jesus. It’s where I first learned to worship, to sit in His presence, and to experience the power of lingering.
Pause | Where did you learn these things? Take a moment and reflect on your journey.
There’s something about the lyric “Jesus, lover of my soul” that stirs me so deeply. I couldn’t shake it. And since I’m low on self-awareness, I decided to dig into it a little, and I think I stumbled onto why it means so much to me.
He loves my soul. If I’m honest, my soul is often the part of me I struggle with the most. Our souls are our mind, will, and emotions; and those are the places I feel the weakest. My thought life, my desires, and definitely my emotions can feel like the messiest parts of who I am. And yet, in spite of all of that, Jesus loves my soul.
Jesus doesn’t just love the best part of me. I don’t know why this struck me so deeply this week, but it did. In trying so hard to give Him my best, I sometimes slide into the belief that my effort is what He loves. But the truth is the opposite: Jesus is most attracted to my humanity. It’s in the place of brokenness that we discover His deep love, love that bypasses performance, goes past the exterior, and lands directly in the depths of our hearts.
John 3:16–17 is by far the most well-known passage in the Bible, yet our familiarity with it often causes us to lose its power: “For God so loved the world.” The world is broken, full of sin, full of problems, and yet God’s love is extended through Jesus. What He did for the world is simply who He is. Jesus comes toward us not at our best but at our worst.
He doesn’t let go. Man, Jesus is persistent. When I say that, it doesn’t mean He’s not a gentleman, but it does mean He stays consistent and present even in our inconsistency. I’ve tried to shake Him off or push Him away, and yet no matter how far I run, He always seems to be right there the moment I turn around.
Scripture tells us He is long-suffering, patient with us, often far more patient than we are with ourselves (2 Peter 3:9).
“Jesus, lover of my soul.”
Wow… Jesus really is that good.
Prayer | Jesus, thank You for loving every part of me, not just the polished parts, but my whole soul: my mind, will, and emotions. Thank You for pursuing me with a patient, persistent, unwavering love. Help me embrace the truth that Your love reaches into the deepest places of my heart. Teach me to linger in Your presence, rest in Your grace, and trust Your gentle pursuit. Amen.
Reflection | Where in my story have I seen Jesus refuse to let go, even when I pulled away? How does His persistence shape my understanding of His love?
Key Scripture | “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” – John 3:16–17 (NKJV)
I don’t know what generation you’re part of, but I grew up in the 90s. Worship was just beginning to emerge as a distinct genre. Hillsong was taking the world by storm, and congregations of all denominations were, for the first time, singing the same songs.
This past week, I heard a familiar lyric that immediately carried me back to an old church building across the river, the place where I grew up. It’s where I discovered what it meant to have a real relationship with Jesus. It’s where I first learned to worship, to sit in His presence, and to experience the power of lingering.
Pause | Where did you learn these things? Take a moment and reflect on your journey.
There’s something about the lyric “Jesus, lover of my soul” that stirs me so deeply. I couldn’t shake it. And since I’m low on self-awareness, I decided to dig into it a little, and I think I stumbled onto why it means so much to me.
He loves my soul. If I’m honest, my soul is often the part of me I struggle with the most. Our souls are our mind, will, and emotions; and those are the places I feel the weakest. My thought life, my desires, and definitely my emotions can feel like the messiest parts of who I am. And yet, in spite of all of that, Jesus loves my soul.
Jesus doesn’t just love the best part of me. I don’t know why this struck me so deeply this week, but it did. In trying so hard to give Him my best, I sometimes slide into the belief that my effort is what He loves. But the truth is the opposite: Jesus is most attracted to my humanity. It’s in the place of brokenness that we discover His deep love, love that bypasses performance, goes past the exterior, and lands directly in the depths of our hearts.
John 3:16–17 is by far the most well-known passage in the Bible, yet our familiarity with it often causes us to lose its power: “For God so loved the world.” The world is broken, full of sin, full of problems, and yet God’s love is extended through Jesus. What He did for the world is simply who He is. Jesus comes toward us not at our best but at our worst.
He doesn’t let go. Man, Jesus is persistent. When I say that, it doesn’t mean He’s not a gentleman, but it does mean He stays consistent and present even in our inconsistency. I’ve tried to shake Him off or push Him away, and yet no matter how far I run, He always seems to be right there the moment I turn around.
Scripture tells us He is long-suffering, patient with us, often far more patient than we are with ourselves (2 Peter 3:9).
“Jesus, lover of my soul.”
Wow… Jesus really is that good.
Prayer | Jesus, thank You for loving every part of me, not just the polished parts, but my whole soul: my mind, will, and emotions. Thank You for pursuing me with a patient, persistent, unwavering love. Help me embrace the truth that Your love reaches into the deepest places of my heart. Teach me to linger in Your presence, rest in Your grace, and trust Your gentle pursuit. Amen.
Reflection | Where in my story have I seen Jesus refuse to let go, even when I pulled away? How does His persistence shape my understanding of His love?
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