God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8

 

When she was eight years old, Lucia was adopted, plucked out of a life on the streets in Latin America.

Lucia’s new family adored her and showered her with gifts. However, despite being cherished and provided for, Lucia couldn’t shake the habit of living in survival mode. Whenever she spotted money lying around the house, her hand would instinctively dart out to steal it.

After witnessing this, Lucia’s dad slid to his knees before Lucia and gently told her, “Just ask me, and I’ll give you everything in my wallet. You’re my daughter. What’s mine is yours.”

Many new followers of Jesus welcomed into God’s family as beloved children feel the same way as Lucia. Although we’ve been told God loves us unconditionally and freely gives His favor and forgiveness, we still find ourselves hiding in our sin. At our core, we often still feel unworthy and unloved, caught in a rat race for survival. It takes time for the message that we’re God’s beloved children and heirs, to sink in—to grasp that we can rely on and trust Him (Romans 8:17).

God’s grace, mercy, and love aren’t given to us because we’ve earned them. The Bible book of Romans says, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). What it’s saying is that God loved you at your very worst. Accepting God’s love and learning to live as His child happens when you allow your heart to receive His love, accepting that He’s forgiven your all your mistakes (Psalm 103:12).

How can you receive God’s love today? It has nothing to do with performance and everything to do with you being His child.