Anyway

“But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39

Oops, I did it again. No, I didn't rob a bank or run a red light. Just one more careless word, at a careless time, in a careless way. Sheepishly, I called my child to whom I spoke carelessly to ask for forgiveness. "Well dad, I forgot all about thought", she said. "I didn't. Would you forgive me?", I asked. "Yes dad. ... I love you." "I love you too sweetheart." She loves me anyway.

I believe Paul, who wrote this proclamation of the insurmountable nature of God's love, on many occasions, sat in the stunned disbelief of God's love for him. Paul persecuted Christians, threw them in jail and even presided over the execution of an amazing man of God named Stephen. God loved him anyway.

Today, you and I have to look into the eyes of the person in the mirror. At times, we see so little looking back at us. We see failure, disappointment, guilt, and shame. God sees an opportunity for mercy and grace. We see fear. He sees a warrior. We see weakness. He sees more than a conqueror. We see unlovable. He sees one he chooses to love ... anyway.

Grace and Peace,

Tom

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