Ephesians 2:1-3 reveals that we were children of wrath before our faith in Jesus. Because of our sinful state, God was not all lovey-dovey with us. In fact, the reality is that the stench of our lives ticked Him off.
Romans 5:8 states that while this was true, God expressed His love for us by sending Jesus to die for us. Contradiction! Throw out the Bible. It’s untrustworthy. How can we have been both children of wrath and loved by God at the same time? It’s not only not contradictory, but it’s also a most liberating truth.
You and I never deserved His love; and yet, He gave it anyway. He placed tremendous value on someone who had no value whatsoever. There was never anything special about you until He decided to make you special. Remember John 1:12 states that He gave us the right to become children of God through faith and faith alone in Jesus.
Next time you start haranguing yourself over a character flaw that will ultimately be changed, remember your Father thinks much more highly of you than you ever deserve. This should lead to an attitude of gratitude instead of self-debasement, which will get your focus back on Jesus rather than on you and your mistakes. It’s time to soar with Jesus!
“S”et Free No“W”ww