Just As I Am

I get daily emails from Bible Gateway.  I have subscribed to a couple of different devotions and today's 'Standing Strong in the Storm' really hit me. This particular email tells of persecuted Christians and the things they go through for their faith.

I wonder if I would be as strong, as faithful, if it came to that. I like to think that I would.

This one today... A converted Muslim in Egypt led a church of converts, which is illegal. He was caught and thrown into prison, tortured and thrown into a 5x5 box for a month. It was in this box that he was faced with the reality of who he truly was - a horrible person. All of the things he had done wrong kept flashing in front of him.

In this box, he realized that Jesus loved him JUST THE WAY HE WAS.

There are two lessons to learn from this.

1) When we are alone and isolated, the devil will do everything possible to bring us to ruin. He will show is how absolutely terrible we truly are and try to convince us that no one, not even Jesus, could love is because we are so awful. This is just a straight up lie.

2) Jesus LOVES us as we are... Right now. There is no need to "fix" something before coming to Christ. Allow Him to help fix the problem. In spite of all of the things we have done in our lives, Jesus still loves us, right now, for always.

He died for us, so we can live through Him.

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.

Psalm 42:1