“Only perfection need apply.” Well, that rules me out for starters!
I’m a lover of daffodils: all shapes, all sizes, all colours. I’ve planted daffodils in every garden where we’ve lived; and I play “spot the daffodils” throughout Spring. From the first brave pioneers to the last surviving specimen, I cheer them on and burble happily with contentment.
So I expect them to be PERFECT, right? Actually- no. I love the perfect ones, and try to photograph the daffs in best condition. But they are competing with weather, slugs and snails, birdies and beasties, and being a daffodil is hazardous duty. Today I photographed these dwarf daffs, complete with slug scars, quite deliberately. If you look very closely, they are far from perfect. Walking down the front path, though, you simply see beautiful clumps of bright yellow. And I rejoice to see ALL of them, from bud to bare stalk.
When I was about 13, I thought that I couldn’t be a real Christian because I knew I wasn’t perfect. (To be really honest, I’ve sometimes felt like that over the many years since!) When I understood the good news of Jesus a bit better, I discovered that Jesus LOVES us as we are, complete with imperfections, doubts, worries and failures. In fact our Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus specifically to find the ones who need saving most. If that sounds screwy to you, sit down and read one of Gospels right through- perhaps “Luke”. It could change your life- and destiny.
A few years later, I bought a little book- “How To Be A Christian Without Being Religious” by Fritz Ridenour. When I finally meet Fritz, I’m going to give him a BIG hug. Assuming that hugging is OK in eternal life, that is. Pretty sure it will be!
The book took me on a journey through “Romans”. It was the first time I ever did a serious Bible study, and it opened my eyes and my heart. Now, I “knew” this stuff, growing up in a Christian home and church. And then the Holy Spirit worked in me to make the Bible “come alive” – and I KNEW, deep down in my “knower”, that Jesus accepted imperfect people just like me. In fact, He loved me far too much to leave me as He found me!
Life has been a journey of discovery ever since; highs and lows, blessings and pains, but standing on a solid foundation. Jesus doesn’t expect us to make ourselves perfect before we apply. It’s a grace-gift, love, acceptance, repentance, forgiveness, laughter and tears.
"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5 v8
If that one verse makes you go “Wow!” – whether you’ve been a believer for 90 years or never before- I urge you to read Romans 5, the whole chapter, then read Luke’s Gospel again.
I’m still not perfect, and I have my “slug damage.” But I’m getting there, with His help, and I know that I’m accepted, forgiven- and LOVED.
The Reflectionary 