I still love you. I love you even in your current sinful state. Why? Because God loves me and accepts me in my current sinful state! How can he do that? How can he love me? How can anyone love me? How can he remain a perfect God and love me an imperfect being? Why does he not instead condemn me? I deserve condemnation, not love and acceptance! How can he give me love and approval when I justly deserve disapproval?

Because he knows how much I hate my sin! He knows my heart and he knows I hate my sin even before I commit it. So he forgives my sin even before I commit it.

It's like when we were babies and soiled our diapers! We were old enough by that time to know better. But, we would occasionally have an accident. We couldn't help it. We didn't yet have full control of our bladder or bowels. We weren't content to sit there in our soiled stated and pit of shame, which we justly deserved. We ran to Mother. Mom didn't scold us. She didn't tell us how ashamed she was of us! She cleaned us up! Why?

Because one day she knew we'd do better. Also, she knew we were not content in our soiled condition. We'd one day mature. One day we would do all she asked. The power of her love and forgiveness brought us to full maturity. We then acted like adults because we were adults.

Right now, we aren't full-grown. But God is growing us. He is shaping us into the image of Christ. We aren't there yet. But, God accepts us when we soil our diapers. If we are willing to go to him each time. And allow him to clean us up. And do not grow content with our soiled condition. He make us brand new every time we mess up!

With his love and forgiveness, and Holy Spirit, one day we will be mature and look more like him than we do today.

Thank you, Jesus. For your grace. And, for a mother's love.