God’s love for us is unconditional. His love is not based on our performance, our goodness, or anything we can or can’t do. His love is a gift, freely given to us. All we have to do is receive it.
“What about sin? Doesn’t sin separate us from God?”
I believe there was a time when sin did separate us from God. Isaiah 59:2 confirms, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
Before Jesus came to earth, people lived under a different agreement or different convenant with God. Their sins were held against them. The High Priest would perform daily sacrifices to deal with the sins of the people. Until Christ came, sin separated people from God.
Today, we live under a new agreement, and Jesus—our new High Priest—died once for all of our sins. Here’s how the writer of Hebrews describes it: “Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. But our High Priest (Jesus) offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand” (v10:11, 12).
Did you catch that? Jesus died as “one sacrifice for sins, good for all time.” Paul explains it this way, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus died for your sins, once and for all. They are dealt with completely. Your past sins, your present sins, and your future sins are no longer counted against you.
This is great news! Now, there is nothing that can separate you from God’s love. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39).
Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Nothing. He made a Way for you to come to him just as you are. What’s holding you back? “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
I encourage you this week to boldly come before the throne of grace in your time of need. Jesus made a way for you to do that. God is ready to receive you, with his arms open wide and a loving smile on his face. He wants you to come running into his arms. He loves you more than you know.
There’s nothing you can do to disappoint God.
Prayer: Father, show me how much you love me. I come to you right now just as I am. Receive me into your arms of love.