Insights

I am a bickering, slandering, gossiping, hate filled, lusting, liar and cheat.
Every time I choose to sin, the devil tells me to "just do it, it's not that bad", but as soon as I commit the crime, he's right there to spew hateful accusations and tell me to be ashamed of my sin. I crumble beneath the weight of my wrongdoings and see what a small, insignificant, disobedient, sinner I am. I bite on the old lure and lie of my worthlessness. This wretch I have become, I am convinced, cannot be saved.

But when the Healer comes, He cups up my face, lifts me up and brushes me off. "Stand tall, my dear", He says and smiles. I cannot comprehend why, in all His righteousness and perfection, He can even bare to set eyes on me! I want to hide from Him, and be as far from His sight as possible. But He doesn't let me go and will not let me run. Tears of joy stream down His face as He looks into my eyes and I do not know why.

And then He utters the most beautiful words and breathes out such love; "You are my most beloved and immaculate bride, an image so gorgeous and lovely to behold that I weep to see you."

He cannot be speaking of me, surely He knows all that I've done? But I see a flash of an image of Love's Perfect Sacrifice upon a cross and I know this image is what He sees. My God has made me a new creation, I have declared Jesus King of my Heart and Soul and even when I believe I have strayed and sinned and fallen to my doom, my Father reminds me that His love cannot be undone, He has clothed me in His robes of righteousness, and nothing can separate me from His love.

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This post was inspired by a sermon from Rev. Steve Blayer, Pastor of Hillside Church in Millersburg, PA.

Also inspired by the following verses:
-Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
-And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38