“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6-8
Into the Text
There is such comfort for us in these words, “At the right time.” Before we were born and before we could do anything to somehow deserve God’s love or prove ourselves worthy, Christ died for us.Â
Let that sink in.Â
The initiative to love and save us belongs entirely to God. We neither deserve it nor earn it. The truth is that we are ungodly sinners – rejecting His love, disobeying His Word, and going our own way. Yet even then, God loved us. Jesus knew every sin you would ever commit, and He still loved you so much that He went to the cross for you, taking your sin and dying in your place.Â
This is how God demonstrates His love for us. Remembering this truth and often thinking about it will help us grow in our understanding of God’s breathtaking love for us.Â
The next time you feel unworthy and unloved, remember this: Jesus came for you while you were still at your worst. He didn’t wait for a better version of you before dying for you. He gave His life while you were in sin, so that now you are His beloved daughter. Ask Him today for a renewed and conscious experience of His love being poured out into your heart.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for loving me and dying for me when I had nothing to offer you in return. Help me to remember that your love is not based on my performance but on your perfect sacrifice. Amen.