Love & Fear

Embedded within the depths of human consciousness lies one of our most profound fears: rejection and exclusion.

The yearning for community, for acceptance and belonging, pulsates within our very being, yet the harsh reality of exclusion and marginalization can cloak our lives in shadows.

In moments of honesty we can find ourselves grappling with feelings of loneliness and disconnection, whether spurred by circumstances, the death of a friend or family members, or the challenges of forging and maintaining meaningful relationships.

This innate longing for connection and intimacy, diametrically opposed to our fear of being cast aside, is hard wired into the human heart and is present in our earliest moments of our existence, akin to a newborn's instinctive cry for milk.

In the words of psychologist Brené Brown, "A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people." Despite our persistent quest for love, we frequently find ourselves wandering astray, seeking fulfillment in the wrong places.

What if Jesus provides an answer to the longing of our hearts?

Let us for a moment listen to the words of Jesus: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you."

The love that Jesus lavishes upon us reflects the boundless affection of his Father's love. Throughout eternity, the eternal Son of God has reveled in the tender embrace of the Father, finding intimacy and joy therein. As the Father tenderly affirms, "This is my son, whom I love, in him I am well pleased."

Just as the Father cherishes and loves the Son, so does Jesus cherish and love us. Within the Lighthouse, a community for those battered and bruised by the storms of of life, a community of welcome for the overlooked and marginalized, we practice what we term "holy eyeballing." We, that is our pastors, lovingly lock eyes with those ensnared in the fear of rejection , and speak gospel truth: "Jesus has always loved you, he loves you right now, and Jesus will always love you.’

In Jesus, many have found they discover welcome and acceptance, inclusion and intimacy that invites us to step away from our fear of rejection and instead step towards his loving embrace.

Loved

Extravagantly,

Unconditionally,

Irrevocably.

You have always been loved,

You are loved right now,

And you always will be.

A love that will not let you go,

Self-giving,

Sacrificial,

A love that looks like Jesus.

A love entwined with kindness,

A love enveloped in mercy,

A love that brings forth healing.

Loved

Extravagantly,

Unconditionally,

Irrevocably

-Swales, 2024