Daily Archive

God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (NCV)

A friend of mine is a car salesman. I trust him completely. When I need a good used car I’ll go to him and ask him to find a car that is a particular style, within a particular price range, and is from his opinion, a good reliable car. Because of my trust in him I’m pretty confident that when I drive off the lot with my ‘new’ car I can trust it. I don’t know its complete history, but I know my friend.

When we seek to purchase a car, some electronic item or a new home we want to know as much about it as possible before we spend the money. We don’t want any surprises.

That’s what makes Jesus’ coming to earth for us even more amazing. Imagine if I were to go to my friend and ask him to find me a car. A few days later he calls and says he found one for me and asks me to come down to the shop to see it.

When I arrive I see a car that’s 20 years old, has three different colored fenders, and the fourth fender is rusted through. One tire is flat, the other three are bald. There is a crack in the windshield and, he informs me, the Air Conditioning doesn’t work and the windows won’t open. Would I buy the car? You say, “Of course not! A person would be stupid to buy something like that and,” you’d continue, “your friend isn’t much of a friend. I’d never trust him again!”

You’d be right of course. No one would buy something like that for any price. But that is exactly what Jesus did! When Jesus was born in that manger over 2,000 years ago he and his Father knew exactly what he was getting into. He knew he was going into a world full of anger, rebellion, abuse and greed. He knew he’d be scoffed at, rejected by he closest friends and innocently murdered. But knowing all this, he came anyway.

If that wasn’t enough, he didn’t come to scold us. He didn’t come to tell us how bad we were. He didn’t come to criticize us for our weaknesses, or condemn us for our rebellion or send us on some guilt trip. He came to save us. He came to forgive us. He came to free us from guilt, shame, anger and bitterness! Jesus didn’t come to earth because of what we were like, he came to earth because of what we needed.

There will be plenty of people who will point out your faults, tell you what you are doing wrong and judge you for your past or present addictions. Jesus didn’t come to make you feel guilty. He came to show you his love.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you for coming to earth to give me freedom. I struggle so much with feelings of guilt, anger and fear. It’s so easy to go my own way and seek my own desires. I praise you for accepting me, for purchasing me even though you knew all my flaws. Amen.