Daily Devotional for November 15, 2021
Undeserved Care
Eli came in and dropped his backpack onto the floor. “Mom, I’m the worst Christian ever,” he said, sounding very discouraged. “I can’t do anything right—not even for one day.”
“What happened?” asked Mom. “What did you do wrong?”
“Everything!” said Eli. “Cody said something mean to me at recess. I lost my temper and said something just as mean. Then some of the kids teased Melissa about her new glasses, so I did too. She started to cry, and Mr. Jones made us stay after class.”
“Are you sorry about the wrong things you did?” asked Mom.
“Well, sure,” said Eli. He held up his hand as Mom started to speak. “I know, I know,” he said as he started for his room. “God wants us to confess what we’ve done. I know He forgives us, but it seems like He’d get awfully impatient with us sometimes.”
A little later, Mom came to Eli’s room as he was getting fresh water for Snowball, his hamster. “Snowball bit your finger yesterday, didn’t he?” Mom asked. “How is it?”
Eli held up his finger. “It’s okay,” he said.
Mom frowned. “That hamster makes such a mess in his cage, and now he bit your finger. Why don’t you get rid of him?”
Eli stroked Snowball’s back. “He’s mine!” he said simply.
“And you love him, right?” Eli nodded. “Snowball doesn’t deserve your care,” Mom continued, “but he’s yours, and you care for him and forgive him because you love him—even when he bites your finger. We don’t deserve God’s care, but we’re His—and He loves us much more than you love Snowball.”
“Even when we do something wrong,” Eli said thoughtfully.
Mom nodded. “God doesn’t love us only when we do things right. He loved us when we were sinners incapable of doing anything right! That’s why He sent Jesus to pay the price of our sin—so we could become His children. And He continues to care for us by forgiving us when we do wrong and working in our hearts to make us more like Jesus.”
Eli smiled. “I’m glad God loves me and cares for me—even though I mess up.”
-Karen E. Cogan
How about you?
Do you realize how much God loves you? He sent His Son to take the punishment you deserve so you could have a relationship with Him. Accept the forgiveness He offers (to learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column.) . Then trust Him to help you live in a way that shows others you belong to Him. When you fail, don’t give up. Confess your sin. You’re precious to God, and He will forgive you and help you become more like Jesus.
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