Devotional Day 17: While We Were Still Messy
Scripture:
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)
Reflection:
I’ve had moments as a parent where my kids have made a spectacular mess—mud tracked on the carpet, juice spilled on the couch. In those moments of chaos, my love for them doesn’t vanish, but my patience certainly thins. I want them to clean up before we move on to the fun stuff.
We often project this onto God. We assume He is waiting for us to clean up our act before He will truly love or accept us. We think, “I’ll go back to church when I quit this habit,” or “I’ll pray when I feel holier.” But Romans 5:8 is a radical interruption to that thinking. God didn’t wait for us to be shiny and clean. He sent Jesus while we were still in the mud. He loved us at our absolute worst. If He loved you enough to die for you when you were His enemy, how much more does He love you now that you are His child? You don’t have to clean up to come to Him; coming to Him is how you get clean.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving me in my mess. Thank You that I don’t have to fix myself before I come to You. I bring my brokenness to You today, trusting in Your love. Amen.