Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (NIV)

On a recent trip to our local Bible bookstore, I picked up a button with the words "Not Perfect Just Forgiven" on it.

The dictionary defines the word "perfect" as "complete, not deficient; faultless; exact; precise; without any defects or flaws; having no errors; unusually good."

Who then is perfect? All of my life, I have struggled with the question of how God can love me if I am anything less than perfect, which, of course, I'm not.

We are often so hard on ourselves, and we need to be reminded that God loves us just the way we are. When we confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we are set free from our sinful nature, and we begin to change. It is, however, a lifelong process — often slow but always steady.

During Advent, let us take time to reflect on our own faith journeys. The good news is that we are not alone in our journey through life. The good news of Christmas is that God has come among us. He is Emmanuel, which means "God with us".

We are all sinners. We need a Saviour. Jesus is the reason for the season. Let us invite Him anew into our hearts and lives this Christmas season.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man I would do my part.
Yet what I can I give Him, give Him my heart.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are far from perfect. We thank You for Your unfailing love for us. You know how busy we get as Christmas approaches. Come into our hearts anew, and help us to be more aware of Your presence in our lives as we prepare to celebrate the wondrous birth of Your most precious gift, Your own dear Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Dee Renaud <dee.renaud@outlook.com>
Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada
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