God loves imperfect people

Nicky Gumbel of HTB and Alpha in London gives us this reminder:

”I am far from perfect. I sometimes find it hard to believe that God really loves me – especially when I mess up, fail or make bad decisions. Actually, no one is perfect – apart from Jesus. But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son to die for us (John 3:16). Therefore God must love imperfect people. In fact, ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). God knows that perfect people do not exist. We all fail. God’s love for you is bigger than your mistakes. God loves imperfect people. Everyone knows that their marriage partner’s not perfect, their children are not perfect, their parents are not perfect but we love imperfect people and if we love imperfect people perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that God loves imperfect people even more.”

If ever there were a perfect gift to give and to receive this Christmas it is this reminder. God doesn’t want us perfect in our obedience to rules and regulations but to be perfect in our faith. We are made perfect because of our imperfections. Not by our own doing but by all that God does for those whose faith has been placed in God’s love and care.

​Merry Christmas.

​From the devotional Bible In One Year 2017, Day 257. (Acquired 12/24/18).