Ephesians 3:17-19 – That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (NKJV)

I volunteer at our local Bibles For Missions store once or twice a week. I enjoy the social aspect, as well as being able to help with what needs doing. The one thing I enjoy the most is going through bags and bags of clothes that people have donated.

Some of the clothes are beautiful, to-die-for clothing, while others are worthless. They have holes, or the zipper doesn't work, or they are so dirty that no amount of washing will ever get them clean. These clothes end up in recycling, and Bibles For Missions gets paid by the pound.

As I go through the clothes, I have often thought that these bags are similar to people's lives. If these were people, would God throw them into recycling? And even the most beautiful-looking people have some really horrible things mixed in with them. Does God love us less because we have some physical or emotional disability? Does God love us less because we are separated or divorced, or because we are on drugs? The list is endless. God loves each and every one of us, the same way. It doesn't matter what our faults or problems are.

Sometimes we think that our sin is so bad as to be unforgivable — God could never wash us clean. Rest assured that God will forgive anything, no matter how "unforgivable" we think it is. He loves us far more than words can express. All we have to do is humble ourselves, and admit that we have a problem. That can be hard, but we can do it! And we need to trust that He will forgive us. That's right. God will take our sin and carry it for us. He loves us that much.

I am somebody, because God loves me
And I'm accepted just the way that I am.
His love is higher, it's deeper and wider
Than you and I will ever understand.

Prayer: Thank you, dear Lord, for loving us no matter what we have done. Help us to trust that you are our Saviour. Help us to be humble and to confess everything before you, Lord. Forgive our sins and come into our hearts to make us clean and renewed, white as snow. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Karen Knuff <knuff.karen@gmail.com>
Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
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