This FB photo struck a chord with me, especially the last quote:
“(God) doesn’t (only), love some future version of you; He loves us in our mess.”
He loves the messy parts of our lives where faith meets doubt and confidence meets fear. He understands our struggles with actually living out what we believe. He invites each of us to be completely honest with him, to tell it like it is – that sometimes we are angry with him, or disappointed, or we feel he is so distant. He gets it. But when we’re done venting and crying, let’s also cry out to him,
“Lord, I don’t want to stay this way. I want to feel your presence, I want to feel the warmth of your embrace, of drawing close to you. Despite how I feel right now, yet still will I praise you and put my trust in you. For you alone are worthy of praise.”
Yes, God loves you and me in our mess. We don’t have to get cleaned up to come to him. In fact we never could. If we could get our act together on our own power, what was the purpose of Jesus dying on the cross for us? We can’t do it, but Christ in us can! And the truly great thing is, if we cooperate with his Spirit, he won’t leave us where we are. He will transform your life and mine in ways more wondrous than you can imagine, even if your circumstances don’t change.
So let’s give it up to the one who sees us where we are, who hears our every prayer, catches each of our tears, who has your name written on the palm of his hand, and relentlessly reaches out to draw us all closer to him. He’s calling you right now, in the messy parts of your life. He loves the messy parts along with everything else. He’s a big God. He can handle it. And so can you…if he’s in charge.
