“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.”

Isaiah 52:7

Few days go by without hearing the beautiful words “I love you” from my wife. And not many days go by without her hearing those words from me. 

It is how we greet each other and how we say goodbye. It is an expression of endearment when we feel affection for one another. 

It’s also the anchor that we remind one another of when things are rough. It is a safety net that we declare in the midst of disagreements and arguments. 

We declare this love when we are overwhelmed by life. By hardship. And by burdens. It is a declaration that, even as things around us are trying to sink us—we are in this together. 

Three simple words. I Love You. And endless meanings, circumstances, and situations where they are the right words we need to share with one another. 

All my kids, but especially my Elanna, declare it every day as well. We say it to one another so regularly, it’s almost as if we think that one another has forgotten this bedrock truth. 

I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that my wife loves me. I experience her love and the love of my children on a consistent basis. In so many ways their love fuels me. I hope I never forget their love. But it is always good to be reminded. 

“We need to hear the Gospel every day because we forget it every day.” Martin Luther 

With something so important as my wife’s love, I can’t imagine forgetting it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s declaration of love for you. And, as Luther rightly states, we forget it every day.

What is this Good News? It is the reality that God has already accomplished on your behalf all the good that you try to do on your own. 

It’s the truth that you come to the communion rail broken and upon receiving a piece of bread and a sip of wine you return whole. This same loaf of bread is whole until it is broken for you. 

The Gospel of Jesus is that you can not do anything to make God love you less. 

The Gospel of Jesus is equally true that you can not do anything to make God love you more. 

I’ve got all kinds of thoughts as to why I constantly know of my wife’s love for me. It’s not something I’ll soon forget. And yet I struggle to remember the Good News of Jesus. I struggle because I often think God needs my help. Or I think I don’t need God’s. I’ve forgotten.

I forget the Good News of Jesus at times because I’m confronted with my depravity—if He only knew how bad I really was at my core. There is no way He could really forgive me…

And I forget the Good News of Jesus because I think I’ve got a better grip on things than I really do. There are times I think I can do it on my own–I don’t need this Gospel where Jesus does the heavy lifting for me.

How sweet it is to be reminded of the Good News of Christ’s love. Every. Single. Day. Because, the ugly truth, most day’s I’ve forgotten its power and goodness. 

So, today, I’ll keep telling my wife and my children that I love them. I’ll keep hanging on those three sweet words when they remind me. And I’ll keep returning to the Good News of Jesus. By the Holy Spirit, the hope of the cross and the promise of Christ’s victory will wash over you and me. 

In other words—I’ll keep telling you of the love of Jesus. Will you please keep telling me as well?

Make time this week to send a note to someone you love