“Do you believe you deserve to be loved?” That was the question that came from my dear friend Tonia. Well, actually I call her my therapist, but let’s keep that between us. I repeated the question, “Do I deserve to be loved?” I was buying myself some time. “Only by my kids and Jesus. And the reason I deserve to be loved by Jesus is because He loves everyone,” I said trying to bring some humor to her long day of listening to problems. She did that therapist “thing.” She paused just long enough for me to get uncomfortable, and I filled the silence with, “No, I don’t believe I do. And after all, I am proof that love is not enough.”

We have all loved deeply only to realize that it takes much more to keep someone in our life. Let’s be honest, just because I love you and you love me…that doesn’t mean we are going to remain in a long-term relationship. We all know that, but when we are in love with someone, and they leave it is still crushing! And it isn’t just due to feeling abandoned! It’s because they aren’t only saying “love isn’t enough,” but they are also saying, “You are not enough.” And before we move to the next paragraph let me say that does not make them a bad person, but more importantly it does not make them right. In fact, we pause on this hump day of Holy Week to say they were wrong.

As long as you and I put our value in the hands of others we will always be vulnerable. However, when we place our value in the scarred hands of Jesus the message is loud and clear! You are enough and you deserve to be loved. Do you and I need to own our crap? Yes we do. When people hurt us do we need to examine ourselves, and what part we may have played? Absolutely! We all have a little work to do, but in just two days we will be reminded of how deeply lovable we are to the Universe. Regardless of whether you believe the story of Easter to be true, mythology, or a fairytale…the message is still powerful. You are deeply lovable, completely forgivable, and more than enough. So much so that you are worth the greatest of sacrifice.

Very little is recorded about the Wednesday before Jesus went to the cross. It appears that Judas was still negotiating and planning his part in this story, but Jesus seemed to be resting and preparing for the darkest 48 hours in history. Tomorrow we will look at the anguish that fell upon his heart and soul prior to being taken into custody. However, none of this was a surprise to Jesus, because he knew it was coming, and yet he didn’t run or call down lightening from heaven. Why? Because HE believes you are enough.

I love you,

Tony