By Nathan Brewer.
To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.
These are the words of Tim Keller in his book “The Meaning of Marriage”. And it is these words that I believe pierce the innermost part of the human heart. We long to be loved. Not merely tolerated, but loved despite the things others know about us, or the things they do not know about us.
Although she may have not been aware of it, this was the greatest desire of the woman who Jesus encountered at the well in John, chapter four. Where this woman came to the well to have a variety of physical needs met, Jesus met her with the intent of meeting her greatest need. In fact, when the meeting ends, the woman runs into town and in verse 29 says, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”
This woman has just walked out of a meeting with the Son of God and rather than feeling condemnation from being fully exposed, she felt joy! Her life had just been changed because of an encounter with God.
When we encounter Christ and experience all the things he desires to show us, the weight of our sin is great but the joy of freedom is greater. Not only is it greater, it is life changing and life-giving.
Nathan serves as Pastor and Church Planter in Residence at Grace Hills. He and his wife, Lynzie, and their four kids recently moved to Northwest Arkansas from Conway and will be moving to central Oklahoma next summer to plant a Grace Hills “daughter” church.