So imagine, if you will, such a stray is coming around. It is starving. Every rib shows. It's hair is gone. There are open sores. It looks like it will be dead soon if something doesn't change. Do you A) try to determine if it is the strays fault it is in that shape or if it is deserving of help or B) simply ignore cause and care? Do you A) go to the stray and describe your home with plenty to eat and shelter and tell it to take care of itself, get healthy and well and you'll let it become your companion or B) gently coax it to you, understanding it will be skittish and mistrusting, treat its wounds, feed it and provide comfort and shelter?
I can't imagine anyone expecting the animal to rescue itself, to treat its own wounds and miraculously feed itself in order to deserve a loving, safe shelter. And my question is if we wouldn't expect this with an animal in need, why do we expect it of people, of ourselves? The even bigger question is if we would never make an animal rescue and care for, fix, itself, why do we think for a moment that God does that with us?
All of us have gone astray. Like it or not, we are or have been strays. Out in the world on our own we get hurt, we hurt ourselves, we become distrusting, we become malnourished, and we dream of shelter, of a safe place where we are cared for and loved and where there is health and plenty. Daddy sees our need and offers to meet it. He invites us to become a part of the family, promising to care for us, to clean us up, treat our wounds and feed us. His heart longs to rescue us and restore us to wholeness and health.
God doesn't want us to scrounge around and try to rescue ourselves. He doesn't demand that we nurse ourselves back to health and figure out how to provide for our needs before we earn the right to be His companion and child. He doesn't interview us to see if we are victims or if we are the masters of our own mess. In fact, the longer we try to take care of ourselves the worse off we become, and if we don't give up trying and run to Him, we will die. We need to remember that God is good and would not treat us worse than we would treat a stray animal. Stop trying to make yourself good enough, well enough to deserve a home and accept that He made a home for you where you can find healing and sustenance and shelter, and most of all where you can be fully and completely loved.
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