In college, I would always carry my Bible with me everywhere. I was just recently saved and transformed by the power of Jesus Christ, so I was just beginning to read His word all throughout the day. One day when I was walking, a woman came up to me and said something like, “Excuse me. I see that you carry your Bible everywhere. Well, I have just one question- and that is why do you love Jesus?” I was completely taken back by the question for no other reason than it was asked very quickly and extremely straight forward. It turned into a very good conversation, but I always think about that moment because I once wondered the same about others. So do with it what you will, but these are just some of the reasons why I passionately love Jesus.

1. He washed my rivers of wrong

It was mine. My sin to pay. I’m the one who has been offensive to God all along. But Jesus! God was merciful enough to come down on a rescue mission in flesh to die on the cross in order to save me for my wrongdoings forever and forever. My heart gushes with gratefulness because of it, and out of that- love. Nobody else has or ever could ever save me besides Him.

2. He first loved me

“We love him because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

3. I was His joy set before Him

Have you ever been so stressed, anguished, or sorrowed that you sweat blood? I didn’t think so. But Jesus did the night before His crucifixion. Yet the Bible says that it was the joy that was set before Him that He was able to endure. Even the thought is breathtaking.

4. He doesn’t like religion either

Whether it would be all the traditions or the idea of trying to be “good enough”, no aspect of religion quite hits the mark. Jesus came simply to gather a body of believers that would accept the truth and be a part of His Kingdom while here on earth and for all eternity by having a real relationship with Him.

5. He was there to heal my heart

I don’t like to be dramatic, but I truly had my heart broken by a girl that I really had a connection with and cared about more than anybody I ever have other than family. This not only left hurt in my heart but it developed a somewhat negative and completely distorted view of love in my mind. Well, that turned out to be exactly where Jesus needed me because He not only healed me completely, but He showed me what true love is- one that is eternal and will never hurt me or fail me.

6. I can trust Him fully

In a world of fleeting promises and people who can’t help but have the capability of letting you down, it is overwhelming to know that I have a God that I can always trust because He can’t fail. And it’s not like that’s going to change because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

7. He has been my best friend through loneliness

I think just about all of us go through lonely times, but I especially have always had to deal with this considering for whatever reason I’ve never had a best friend that I could share everything with. Jesus has completely changed that because each and every day is walked with Him by my side and no matter what, He won’t ever leave me now. He cares about everything I go through- good or bad.

8. He has been my strength and peace through the hardest times

What do you do when you wake up every morning not knowing what will happen to a family member because of their drug use? On my own, I was absolutely going crazy and stressed beyond measure, but I walked with my friend Jesus the entire time and it can’t possibly be explained in words the strength and peace that flowed through me. It didn’t make sense, and it wasn’t supposed to- it was supernatural.

9. There isn’t a day that goes by with Him that doesn’t include excitement

Why? Because every day is an adventure. Every day something new is to be learned. Every day someone new is to be impacted and influenced. I know He has a plan and purpose for my life so each day is the opportunity for it to become clearer and for me to fulfill it.

10. His saving and transforming power

I have witnessed the saving, healing, and transforming power first hand. Nothing is like it. And nobody is like Jesus.

11. I don’t have to set up an appointment or get ignored

Wow is it refreshing. No matter how amazing some people are, everyone has ignored someone or changed plans/cancelled meetings. I have comfort that Jesus always hears my cries, hears my excitement, and is there for me no matter what and no matter the time.

12. He set me free from my habits I just couldn’t get past

I tried. I tried. And I tried some more. I just couldn’t break free from the things I was doing that was messing me up. But Jesus could help me- and He did, because where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

13. He makes me whole

Now I completely understand where I’m found. Jesus completely satisfies my soul- and nothing else or nobody else can do that. You know the game for babies where you put the shapes in the holes on the board? And no matter how perfect the square is, you cannot put it in the circle hole. Likewise, I believe we were all created with a void in our heart that is Jesus-shaped; and no matter how awesome anything else is, it just won’t fit the bill.

14. My identity and purpose is found in Him

Everyone can call me whatever they want now. They can believe whatever they want about me now. None of this gets me rattled anymore because I know what Jesus calls me. I know who I was always meant to be and what I was always meant to do. The purpose of life can only be defined by the one who birthed it from His lips.

15. Among the colossal sea of people on this earth, He knows my name

Everyone wants to be important. Everyone wants to be a “somebody”. But it’s such a hard fight in this world to attain such a thing. The amazing thing about the Jesus I love is that such a thing doesn’t matter at all. Anybody who loves Him and is after His heart and Kingdom will be used and matters immensely. The King of heaven and earth knows me.

16. I’ll never have to be without Him again

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”. (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5)

17. He believes in me when I don’t believe in myself

He knows the absolute deepest and worse parts about me- yet He still want to use me for great and mighty things and still calls me important when I think I can’t do anything. He knows that if He is for me, than who can be against me?

Start seeking Jesus today. I promise you will fall in love with Him too, and you will never look back.