The Love of Jesus

As a pastor and college professor, Karl Barth was known for theological views that tended to be liberal. But these views were shaken by events of World War I. Then, when Adolf Hitler gained power in Germany, Barth, who lived in Bonn, Germany, urged Christians to stand for the eternal truths of the Bible and not compromise with the Nazi regime. Because of his uncompromising stand, he was expelled from Germany.

Particularly after the war, Barth, who was born on this day in 1886, in Basil, Switzerland, gained a reputation as the preeminent Swiss theologian. Then, in 1962, he visited the United States for the only time. During this visit, he was asked how he would summarize the essence of his published writings (which numbered more than 500 works). Knowing that Barth was a scholar, his audience might have expected a complex theological statement. Instead, he replied, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Barth had come to realize that all of his achievements paled in comparison with the simple love of Jesus.

It can be so easy to focus on ourselves. Our own needs and careers. To become obsessed with the challenges we face. To worry about the world’s problems, crises, and conflicts. But how much more important to remember the simple, life-changing message that Jesus loves us!

Today, pause and consider how much Jesus loves you. He loved you so much that He died on the Cross that your sins might be forgiven. He loves you unconditionally, and is ready to forgive your sins and take away your burdens. Do not let this day go by without thanking Him for His love. And be ready to share that love with others.