Turning 22 didn’t feel any different to me: just another year older, another year of adult responsibilities. I started the day off by going to work, going to class, and ended it with a meeting for one of the committees I’m a part of. What a great birthday, right?
Well, when I went to bed that night, I opened my bedroom door to find balloons everywhere, confetti thrown on my bed and on my floor, and streamers hanging from one closet to the other. Not to mention, my pillow and bed were wrapped!
At first I thought maybe it was my parents who did it, but it took one look at the note on my bed to know it was two of my best friends. I never had friends who would go out of their way to decorate my room for my birthday and make me feel so celebrated and loved. It was such an amazing surprise!
I woke up the next day and started to clean up the balloons and confetti that awaited me. I began noticing all the dust in the corners and stains on my carpet. I can’t believe they were in here. It’s so embarrassing. They saw how messy my room was. All I could think about was how gross my room was and how embarrassed I was that I didn’t clean it that day.
But they still did it anyway…
Even though my friends saw how messy my room was, how much dust was collected…they STILL decorated my room. They STILL wanted me to feel loved and celebrated. They STILL did it anyway…
How much more does the Father love us…
The thought popped in my mind as I reflected on God’s love for us:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” {John 3:16}
“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” {1 John 4:9-11}
“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” {Psalm 136:26}
God loves us SO much. So, if my friends love me despite my messy room, how much more does God love me despite my messy life??????? SO MUCH MORE!! It says in Romans 5:8 that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God sent His Son to die for our sins while we were STILL sinners. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23), but God loves us so much that He wanted us to have the opportunity to live with Him eternally despite our faults and imperfections.
God loves you more than you can ever imagine. He loves you despite your messy life, your crazy schedule, and your mistakes. He loves you so much!
Go in peace this week knowing that you have a God who looks at you with so much love in His heart and wants the best for you!