You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up)

I love the music of Josh Groban. Even now I hear some of you saying, “Jeff, you got to be kidding, you are such a patsy.” My response to you is that you have to love me no matter what!!! Anyway as I was driving back to Columbia today, one of his songs emotionally impacted me. The song is called You are Loved (Don’t Give Up). Here are the lyrics:

Don’t give up
It’s just the weight of the world
When your heart’s heavy I
I will lift it for you

Don’t give up
Because you want to be heard
If silence keeps you I
I will break it for you

Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you

Everybody wants to be loved
Don’t give up

Because you are loved

Don’t give up
It’s just the hurt that you hide
When you’re lost inside I
I’ll be there to find you

Don’t give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you I
I will shine to guide you

Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you

Everybody needs to be loved
Don’t give up

Because…you are loved

Don’t give up
It’s just the weight of the world

Don’t give up
Everybody needs to be loved

You are loved.

Friends, I know many of us are weighted down with life. I am. The good news is that because we are loved, we are able not to give up. You are loved by God. May you deeply experience Jesus who lifts you; who understands you; who hears you; who brings light to you; and who gives you hope in the midst of your hurt! May you walk alongside others by listening and understanding them and guiding them to Jesus! Here these powerful and loving words from God as we face the weight and hurt of the world.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11)

Warmly,

Jeff