Answer: I do.
But it's a many layered answer. Because yes, basically I do. But in another sense I don't. At least not the way I should. So I need to stop and check myself regularly to think about how I am loving Him and what it even means to love Jesus in the first place.
Last week I was really challenged by this short summary by John Piper of what it really means to love Jesus (read the whole article here):
• I admire Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being.
• I enjoy his ways and his words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else.
• I want his approval more than I want the approval of anyone else.
• I want to be with him more than I want to be with anyone else.
• I feel more grateful to him for what he has done for me than I do to anyone else.
• I trust his words more fully than I trust what anyone else says.
• I am more glad in his exaltation than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me.
When I think about my love for Jesus in each of these categories I realise that it falls short in so many ways. Day in day out other things and people win my affections over Jesus.
So yes, I do love Jesus. But it is the love of a sinner who is humbled to realise that even the ability to love Jesus well can only come from Jesus Himself...because left to my own sinful instincts I choose other things above Him every time.
Oh Lord, have mercy on this sinner.
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