Doing things with God, Not for God
God’s love meets us right where we are, in our brokenness and powerlessness, but we are still deeply valued.
Sometimes we have days when you are just off. You feel alone and unloved. Maybe you might have screamed at someone you care about, done something wrong that you feel bad about, or just been down because you failed. You feel like a failure full of guilt and sin, and as a Christian, you doubt that God can love you.
The other day I read Romans 5:8 again, which says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." If you’re like me, you need to read something, especially a Bible verse, four to five times to really grasp the full meaning. If you’ve done that, you will see that it's more than just a note about love; it's love in motion. It's God's perfect plan to save you and me.
In verse 6, it says, "At just the right time..." God's time is perfect, not too soon or too late. When we are not able, broken, or spiritually alive, God steps in at that point. That's when He showed His love. It wasn't when we were strong and capable; it was when we were at our worst.
There’s a saying that says the value of something is determined by the price you are prepared to pay for it.
Think about it. In God’s eyes, we are so valuable that He was prepared to sacrifice His Son for us. This is love in motion. God showed His love, not just said it.
And it wasn’t just a one-time event; it's an example that never ends. Paul says "God demonstrates" in the present tense to tell us that this love is still alive, still at work, and still able to reach us.
So, God’s love doesn’t end when we fail, nor is it weak or subject to conditions. It's not about feeling guilty but about understanding why the cross is so important. Because we can't fully understand God's grace if we don't admit how broken we are.
Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. He did not wait for us to clean up our act, or pray perfectly, or do enough good things. Grace is not a reward for those who deserve it; it is a gift for those who don't. That means we don't need to show God who we are and don't have to try to please Him. It's already ours through Christ.
What does this mean in reality, in our everyday lives? It means we don't have to work so hard to earn God's favour. We can only get it. Instead of doing things for God, we can now do things with God. We’re loved already.