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For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. (Romans 5:6-10)
I think pretty much all Christians have days when our sins overwhelm us and we can’t make ourselves believe that God really wants us—that He really loves us, forgives us, and wants us to be His own. It’s a human problem. We know ourselves well enough to look at our sins and think “Yuck!” and turn away in loathing. We wouldn’t want even our closest friends to know the evil thoughts that flit through our heads, even (maybe especially!) when we’re trying to do good. And how terrible if anyone ever found out about that thing we did years ago, that still worries us at night when we’re lying awake!
Paul knows we feel this way. He had his own nightmarish sins to accuse him. But Paul found something stronger than the power of sin to accuse and make us feel horrible. He found Jesus—or I should say, Jesus found him. Jesus found him right in the middle of his worst sins—actually on the road to Damascus, where Paul intended to arrest and imprison and kill Christian believers! And Jesus made Paul His own, forever.
If you believe in Jesus, He has found you as well. He came looking for you, and your sins didn’t put Him off! Your sins are no surprise to Him—He knew them, suffered for them, and put an end to them, long before you were born—on a cross outside the walls of Jerusalem.
This is why Paul can say, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. … God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus never said, “Clean up your act and then I’ll die for you, then I’ll make you My own.” No, He came and He suffered and He died and He set us free, long before we were born. He washed us clean and took us to belong to Him forever and He gave us a share in His own resurrected life—and He did all of this before we even knew enough to wish for it, when we didn’t even know His Name. He loved us when we were still in our sins—and if He could love us to the point of death then, what will He do for us now?
WE PRAY: Lord, You loved me when I was a sinner—enough to die for me! I need Your help to believe this. It’s too wonderful for me. Help me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- When in your life have you ever felt like you struck the jackpot—like something too wonderful to be true has happened to you?
- Why does it matter that Jesus died for you before you ever tried to clean up your act?
- What does that say about the way He will love you into eternity?
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