God loves us – No matter what
“In Christ I have a righteousness that is not my own and that does not come from the Law but rather from the faithfulness of Christ. It is the righteousness of God that is based on faith.” (Philipians 3:9b)
It’s easy to think that we’re horrible people and undeserving of anyone’s love – let alone the love of the God Most High who gives us so many wonderful things of which we are certainly not deserving.
A friend of mine posted this passage from her Saturday devotional:
Because God accepts us before we have done anything to earn acceptance, we can be bold and confident, rather than anxious and self-obsessed. God loves us. That’s that. Relax. Your life is not a self-improvement project. Simply be. God loves us, forgives us, accepts us. So we are free. And that freedom allows us to respond thankfully with spontaneous love. Love of God; love of neighbor; and love of self. That’s all there is to it.
I love this because it’s so true.
Have I made awful decisions in the past? Oh yes.
Have I hurt someone’s feelings and not felt bad about it? Unfortunately, yes.
Does God forgive me and love me anyway? Thankfully, yes.
Paul learned about God’s love in quite the amazing way. Remember, he was Saul and wasn’t the nicest of people. But God chose him and converted him and look at what Paul accomplished.
The same could be true for me and for you. Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t underestimate your value. Remember that Someone very important loves you — unconditionally.
I know this because of my gorgeous family.
…my job that lets me stay home.
…the blessings that continue to rain down on us.
In what ways do you see God’s love in your life?
Devotional Source: http://www.episcopalcafe.com/thesoul/pauls_conversion.html
