The other night I was sewing Ava’s snuggly back together. It’s this little stuffed owl security blanket that Ava can’t live without. She sleeps with it, plays with it, chews on it.  After 5 years of this, it’s in bad shape. In fact, it’s pretty disgusting. It’s not the same color that it originally was. It’s falling apart. I’ve sewn it back together twice. It’s stiff in certain places. And it smells awful, no matter how many times I wash it. To anyone else, this snuggly would be unwanted – worthy only to be discarded.
Ava at 2 months old with her snuggly
But to Ava – this snuggly is precious. She loves it deeply. It is her most prized possession. She sees no flaw in this beloved friend.
Isn’t that like God’s love for us?
God loves us deeply. He does not see us as the world sees us, but he looks at us and calls us worthy. We are precious to him. We do not have to look a certain way or achieve anything to earn his love. He loves us, wants us, accepts us just as we are, and nothing can change that.
Romans 8:38-39 says,
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ava at 5 years old with her snuggly
Friends, there is nothing that can change God’s love for you. No matter how broken you feel; no matter how others see you or the awful things that have been said about you; no matter how far you’ve strayed from who you once were – God loves you so intensely. He will not reject you. He will not abandon you. He will continue to pursue you and treasure you.
God has called you worthy. He loves you. He wants you. He accepts you – just as you are.
God loves you like Ava loves her snuggly.