I Love you Unconditionally
2 min read
One morning I was having my shower and I started to reflect on my life. Things were not going the way I had anticipated. I felt that my life was so messed up. I wondered how could God use a sinner like me? I really needed God's help though. So I decided to plead my case. As I began to pray, I said "Lord, I really need you but I'm so messed up right now..." Before I could utter another word, God spoke to me and said, "Debbie, I love you unconditionally". Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't believe that God still loved me in spite of all that I had done.
As I read John 8, I couldn't help but wonder if that is how the woman caught in adultery felt. She had committed a sin that was worthy of being stoned to death. Yet, Jesus forgave her and did not even judge her. He also did not allow anyone else to condemn her. Looking on, it may have looked like Jesus let the woman go scotch free without suffering any punishment. This may seem unreasonable by human standards. Once someone has done wrong, they deserve to be punished, right? Well, that's what justice says. But thank God for grace.
God declares us righteous and this righteousness is not based on our own actions but on the blood of Jesus (Galatians 5). There is nothing we can do to earn God's righteousness. No matter how we try to punish ourselves we can never buy God's grace. Jesus has already paid for our sins...in full (John 3:16-18).
Today, let's embrace God's love & his forgiveness, knowing that we can never earn it or lose it. It's a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). All God requires in return is that we do as he said to the woman..."go thy way and sin no more". Meaning, do not habitually continue to sin. We don’t need to walk in guilt and sin anymore. We can walk in the freedom that God has forgiven us and we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:1-7).
Meditate on this song by Helen Baylor. “Into the sea of forgetfulness, You've placed all of my sins. For I'm the one who keeps reminding you over and over again. Into the sea of forgetfulness as far as the east from the west. Seventy times seven you've forgiven me and you keep cleansing me. And placing my sins into the sea of forgetfulness.”
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9