I Feel Like His Favorite

This has been my thought lately as I have read through the book of John.

John, being one of the Gospels, tells us the story of Jesus ministry on Earth. He was there on so many occasions from the first of Jesus ministry to standing at the foot of the cross. John loved Jesus.

It was John that Jesus spoke to when He said “Here is your mother” (John 19:27) as He hung on the cross. From that time on, the Scripture says that John took Mary into his home.  John was with Jesus – heart and soul – through Jesus entire earthly ministry, but he continued to believe and worship Jesus after His ascension into heaven. John loved Jesus.

Throughout the book, John also refers to himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” This is the part that has stuck out to me lately. John loved Jesus, but he also knew that Jesus loved Him. Through all that time he spent with Jesus, he knew the love and care Jesus had for him and also knew that Jesus death on the cross was the ultimate display of love. As John stood at the foot of the cross, we can only imagine how he must have felt.

I know Jesus died for me, but standing there watching Jesus do so would have been much different than reading about it. To see the anguish and pain and at the same time see the love and hope – it was an amazing day for sure.

But John was different, remember he spoke of himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Jesus did love John – more than He loved the other disciples? more than He loved me? No, not more than anybody else. But John understood something that I have yet to fully comprehend. As John watched Jesus earthly ministry and stood at the foot of the cross, he knew that Jesus would have done it all just for him. John had watched Jesus heal many both of physical problems and spiritual sin. He knew how tired Jesus would get from ministering to people, and yet loved them enough to keep going. He saw Jesus’ compassion and grace in the lives of many, but he knew the love that Jesus had for him and witnessed first-hand just how far that love would go.

John felt so loved by Jesus, that although he knew differently, he felt like Jesus favorite. Hanging out with Jesus will do that to you. Reading through history in our Scripture, we see a picture that God painted just for us. The story of redemption from the time of creation. He had a plan to save me all along – even if I was the only one – and has been orchestrating it since before time began. All for me.

As we look at the cross of Easter, and the grace and salvation that follows, we come to feel like Jesus’ favorite too. He did it all to save the world, but He would have done it even if it had been just for me. Today, I feel like His favorite too.