You are loved

As we enter Holy Week, I have a very simple message for us today: 

You are loved. 

You are deeply and completely loved by the Creator of the cosmos. 

You are loved so deeply and completely that God took on human flesh in order to walk among us again for the first time since Eden. 

Jesus was so enamored with us that He joyfully became human so that He may physically embrace us, physically care for us, physically join us in breaking bread and drinking wine, and yes, physically giving over His body so that we may be fully one with God and all of God's creation someday for eternity. 

Jesus so loved us that at the time right before His arrest, Jesus cried out to the Father to see if there was any way He may stay with us for just a little bit longer. You see, I don't think Jesus was afraid to die. I don't think Jesus was afraid to face the torture of crucifixion. I think Jesus was deeply and completely grieved that He would be physically separated from us again. And even though a thousand years is as a day for God, God does not want to spend even one day without us.