Daily Devotional for September 9, 2021
The Frame on the Wall
“Why do you always do that?” asked Miley as she watched her mom adjust the crooked frame on their wall.
Mom laughed. “It won’t hang straight, and I want to keep it up here.”
Miley shook her head. “You should just buy a new frame.”
“I like this one,” Mom said. “It just needs a little grace.”
The next day, Miley noticed her mom by the frame again, trying to get it so that it sat perfectly straight. “It’s not going to stay like that, Mom. You know it isn’t.”
Mom turned toward her. “Do you remember going with your dad to pick out this frame?” Miley shook her head. “It was the last time he took you shopping,” Mom said quietly. “This frame is special to me, and it just needs a little grace.” She nodded toward the kitchen. “Cookies?”
“Sure.” Miley walked slowly into the other room.
“That frame has me thinking.” Mom pulled a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator. “It really means a lot to me, so I’m willing to adjust it a little and care for it so that it sits right on the wall.” She smiled at Miley. “It’s kind of like how God gently nudges us when we aren’t sitting right.”
Miley wrinkled her eyebrows. “Huh?”
Mom set a glass of milk in front of her. “Remember how I said I felt bad about all the gossiping I was doing at work?”
Miley nodded. “And I told you I gossip at school too.”
“Right,” Mom said. “I think that was God nudging us. Adjusting us. Showing us a little grace as He worked on us.” Mom handed Miley a cookie on a plate. “God doesn’t just tear us off of the wall when we sin and throw us away. He saved us because we’re special to Him, and He’s working to make us more like Jesus. He gives us second chances. He wants us to stay on the wall because He cares about us.”
“Even though we’re not perfect?” Miley asked.
Mom nodded. “Someday, when Jesus gets rid of sin forever, we will be. But we don’t have to be perfect for Him to love us.” -Emily Acker
How about you?
Do you feel guilty when you mess up? Do you think God might not forgive you for what you’ve done and stop caring about you? That could never happen. God loves you even though you’re not perfect. He sent His Son to die for you so you could have eternal life with Him. When you do something wrong, He shows you grace. Trust Him to forgive you and adjust you so you’re more like Jesus.
Today's Verse
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. (NIV) John 1:16 NKJV
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