Children don’t learn their identity from a mirror. When they are first born, they learn right away by looking at mom and dad. The way a mother and father look at their children tells them they are precious and loved.
Somehow, we get it in our heads that we have to earn the love of God, or that God angrily pushes us away when we sin. We think we can increase our value by our accomplishments. We think we can lose our worth by our sin. I don’t love my kids because of what they do. I love them because of who they are. They’re mine. Whether my child becomes a millionaire, a saint, or (God forbid) addict, that kid will always be mine. Always worth dying for.
God loves us for the same reason. Isaiah 43:1 says,
“But now, thus says the Lord,
who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name: you are mine.”
He thinks we’re worth dying for. No act of grace or sin can change that. As you strive to be all you can be, don’t forget who you are.
