Love Covers All

All this time I have been thinking that I had God figured out. I thought He was the man who made the rules, I was the girl who always broke them, and then He was the man who hated me deeply until I could find a way to be perfect. I thought I was always doomed to disappoint Him, despite His insistence of that whole loving me thing. I was never going to be good enough. Ever.

Last night, it dawned on me how wrong I was. Yes, God hates sin, but He is also a loving, merciful, and justice-filled God who judges the heart and its intentions. He's also a God who is deeply in love (not hate) with His creation. His love is so foreign to us. Not even the most well-behaved person is deserving of His love and grace and mercy.

And yet... our God's heart is broken for our fallen selves. He longs for communion with us so much that He died for us, for me. My God loves me and His heart breaks every time I turn away from Him in my heart and actions, for He know I'm turning away from Love itself.

Knowing this, in this way, makes it easier to understand how He could forgive me and welcome me with opens when I run back to Him willingly.

"Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life." -Isaiah 43:4