July 31
Scripture: Rom 5:8
Source author: Elizabeth W. Peterson
July 31
Loved for Being Me But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. —Romans 5:8
As a child, I learned God loves unconditionally. Years later my children showed me what that meant. After months of outpatient and finally inpatient treatment for clinical depression, doctors called for a family conference about my returning home. The depression kept me from functioning as a wife and mother, and I was afraid I’d fail again. “Are you ready for your mom to come home?” one of the doctors asked the children, ages ten and eleven. They jumped up and down and shouted, “Yes!” “Is that because she cooks your favorite food?” Both heads shook back and forth. “And all the fun places she takes you? Is that why you want her at home?” Again the answer was no. I had not done anything for them for a long time. “Well, why do you want her to come home, if she doesn’t do the things you like?” “Because,” they said as they ran over to hug me. “We just love her.” Then each one grabbed a hand and said, “Come on, Mommy.
Let’s go home.”
God loves us, not because of what we have done; He just loves us. — Elizabeth W. Peterson —