“The king is wild for you” (Psalms 45:11, The Message).

Like most girls, Jo experienced loneliness and emptiness. I met her when she was in ninth grade. She followed Jesus, but had never seen the side of Him that truly loved her. Jo recently shared with me, “In high school, I often felt fat or would hear lies in my head like, ‘I’m not good, skinny or pretty enough to have a boyfriend,’ or ‘You don’t have any friends because no one likes you.'”

Have you ever felt this way? Unliked. Unwanted. Exactly the opposite of what you want to feel? I know I have.

I want to feel cherished, loved and valued. You can even see it in my movie choices.

I sit in the dark room, my heart beating wildly out of control. “Hurry! Hurry!” my brain cries out. “You’ll be too late!” You’d think I’d never seen Pirates of the Caribbean. But I have. A bunch of times. I know that Will Turner will get there just in time. I know he will swing to Elizabeth’s rescue right at the last second, yell “She goes free!” to the captain and his crew, and risk his life to save hers. It doesn’t matter that I already know all of that. The thrill of the pursuit sends my heart pounding every time.

Why? Maybe there’s something wrong with me. But I know I’m not alone. Lots of girls love to watch the same chick flicks over and over again, especially the ones where the hero gives everything to get the girl. Like the girl in the movie, we want to be desired, fought for, pursued—wanted.

Crazy Girl
As soon as I discovered boys, my heart wanted someone to be crazy for me. Someone to notice me. I can still remember my first phone call from Greg. I ran up the stairs, slamming the door to my room so no one would hear our conversation. I wanted to shout, “Somebody really likes me!”

Someone was pursuing me. Someone wanted to spend time with me. I see this same desire in girls over and over again. We get so excited when a guy makes a nice comment about our Facebook picture or compliments us at school. We’re human. We crave love, affection, attention.

The thing with Greg didn’t work out. But one thing did happen—I had had a taste of what it was like to be wanted and I wanted to be wanted again. I found myself doing some pretty crazy stuff just for his attention. It didn’t work though. I was left in a lot of pain.

Then my life was interrupted. A dear friend introduced me to unconditional, unfailing love that blew me away. Love, affection and attention—everything I wanted. It wasn’t what I expected—didn’t come from where I expected.

Multitudes of love notes to me, just waiting to be read, loaded with truth—I’m valued. To make me understand these words for me, my friend taught me to put my name in the verses. Go ahead, put your name in here, too.

Dear (insert your name here),
Don’t miss a word: forget your country, put your home behind you. Be here—the king is wild for you. Since he’s your Lord, adore Him” (Psalms 45:10-11, The Message).

Someone was pursuing me, but not in the way I expected—not like what happens in the movies, at school or at prom. Jesus wanted me. When I didn’t respond right away, He came for me again.

Don’t be afraid…I’ve called your name. You’re mine…I paid a huge price for you…That’s how much you mean to Me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade creation just for you” (Isaiah 43:1-4, The Message).

He says He loves us enough to sell off the whole world to get us back. Give up everything on the planet just for me? That’s crazy! But that’s the radical love that revolutionizes lives.

I began to see a side of Jesus I had never seen before. He wanted to be more than the God I served. He wanted me to know Him, not just as a rule maker. He wanted to be the love of my life. My everything.

Jealous Jesus
God wired us for love—to give and receive. We might naturally look to guys to fill our hearts, but that type of love is not complete (though it often feels like it!). Guys just don’t have what it takes to fill the empty space inside us. Jesus does. When we soak in His words, enough to have it really in our hearts, we believe. We believe the truth that we are special and beautiful. If we never discover the depth of this incredible love, that special spot in our heart remains empty.

You see, Jesus is jealous. (Is that a radical thought to you? Jesus—jealous?) Yes, He is jealous for you. He created you to experience the closest love possible between the two of you. He doesn’t want us to fill our hearts with anyone or anything other than Himself!

“Do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “He’s a fiercely jealous lover.” What He gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find” (James 4:5, The Message).

Sometimes, we can be stubborn. We try filling our hearts with friends, guys, accomplishments, sex, drugs, sports. These things or anything cannot fill this space created solely for Him. We may be temporarily happy or enjoy a good time, but in the end we will always come up short.

Hannah, 15, put it this way: “I had always looked to my friends, boyfriend and family for happiness; but they can only bring so much. I had to learn God was the only One who could truly bring me complete fulfillment. Don’t ever expect to be happy if you’re looking at the world for happiness. You won’t find it.”

He’s Speaking My Language
Have you ever thought God was trying to get your attention? He is! Lot of ways: a new friendship, days when everything seems to go just right, an amazing sunset or someone shows he or she loves you just the way you are. Even on the bad days (when nothing goes right: your parents fight, your dog runs away, your best friend ignores you, and you fail your math quiz), God is still with you, and He still loves you!

Sometimes I think some of God’s love messages to us are hidden. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter.” He likes being a little mysterious! Have you ever hidden something, secretly hoping it would be found? Recently while traveling alone, I unpacked my bag and discovered a card popping out from under a pile of clothes. “You’re going to do great!” was on a handwritten note. How cool! Someone who loves me had hidden this special note of encouragement. That’s exactly what the Bible is: one HUGE note, filled with stories and examples of God’s revolutionary love for you.

Song of Solomon 4:7 says, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”

No flaw! In another version, these words are interpreted as “no blemish.” You may see zits, dull hair and an imperfect nose, but Jesus sees something entirely different.

Not only does He see you as perfect, but what does Song of Solomon 7:10 say that God wants—more than anything? “I am my lover’s. I’m all He wants. I’m all the world to Him” (The Message).You! You! God wants you!

Love Tattoo
Tattoos are big these days, especially “love” ones. You know the kind—the name of someone’s sweetheart inked in big bold letters. Well, you know what? They’re nothing new. Thousands of years ago, the Bible talked about a tattoo of sorts: “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm” (Song of Solomon 8:6).

Jesus has your name inscribed on His body—and this is no cheap, rub-on tattoo. He’s not the type who is here today and gone tomorrow. He’s not the type who says you mean everything to Him tonight, and then doesn’t call you again. He is love: permanent, powerful and persistent.

Love is invincible facing danger and death.
Passion laughs at the terrors of hell.
The fire of love stops at nothing—
it sweeps everything before it.
Flood waters can’t drown love,
torrents of rain can’t put it out.
Love can’t be bought, love can’t be sold—
it’s not to be found in the marketplace.”
(Song of Solomon 8:6-8, The Message)

Because His love is permanent, powerful and persistent, you can depend on Him. You can trust Him with the hard things, with your deepest secrets. You can rest in the security that no matter what happens or what you do, His strong love sticks by you through it all. He will always be there!

Adapted from His Revolutionary Love, © 2011 by Lynn Cowell, published by Standard Publishing. Used by permission.