Do you grade a Kindergartener on their ability to color within the lines? Do you grade a toddler on his ability to walk around with never falling? How about a young teen in her ability to drive a car through a busy street for the first time?
If you are a reasonable human being, the answer to these questions would definitely be, “NO!” If we, who are so imperfect, don’t expect perfection from our children, who are so young and just learning, why would we believe God would expect perfection from us??
Do you realize He is the Creator of the universe? He spoke, and there was light! He took the stars in His hands, as if they were tiny grains of sand, and flung them across the heavenlies. He tells this one to go, and he goes, and He tells this one to stay, and He stays. He is infinite. He is majestic. He is God, and He loves us.
We were created by an infinite Being. We are mortal. We are imperfect. We are flawed. We are human; yet, He loves us. He loves us with a love that our tiny minds can’t possibly understand. He loves us beyond measure. He loves us without condition. He loves us beyond what we can even fathom. If this kind of God can love us through our humanness, and we can love our children beyond their “child-ness,” how can we ever believe we must become more for Him to love us more?
Yet, we do. Too often, we place expectations upon ourselves to be more, to do more, to say more, thinking it will make Him love us more. When we falter and when we fail, we then walk around in constant condemnation, believing, somehow, that He now loves us less. His love is not like that. He sent His only Son to die for us while we were still sinners! He loves us more than we could ever imagine trying to love our own children! He loves us more than we love ourselves! His love is unconditional, immeasurable and infallible, and He offers it freely to us, without condition.
All we are required to do is receive it. All we have to do is believe. If you had a package on your doorstep that contained all the riches of the world, or all the desires of your heart, wouldn’t you run to find it? Wouldn’t you rush to open it? Yet, often, we hesitate with the very One who gave us this breath we breathe. We pause to accept the very Life He freely offers.
I encourage you today, don’t stop coloring your beautiful picture, this picture called life, in fear of the “teacher.” Don’t stop coloring in fear of failure. Color on, my friend, and remember, your Heavenly Father loves you. He doesn’t hate you. He’s not going to tear up your beautiful masterpiece, because you fall outside the lines a little. He’s not going to yell at you, because your bold marks reach the edge of the page. He will guide you to a better way. He will let you grow, and He will help you to learn His ways. He will convict your heart of the error, but He will not condemn you for your mistake. He will direct you to a better path, and His love will convince you of the needed change. His grace will draw you a new picture, and His mercy will help to fill in the gaps. When you truly see Him, you will never be the same.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
the grizzle grist mill 