Mid-Week Message - Perfection

 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."  Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16 (NIV)

As most young people do, I daydreamed about having the perfect life.  Once I became an adult, I would find the perfect job then rent the perfect apartment.  I would find a perfect husband, settle down and have perfect children, live in a perfect neighborhood and spend the rest of my life in the perfect happily ever after.  There was one large detail that I failed to consider though.  I, myself, wasn't perfect.

I went to a wonderful college.  Not perfect, but it certainly met my needs as far as education goes.  I met great friends there.  They weren't perfect either, but I loved them and still keep in touch with many of them today.  When I did live in an apartment, the air conditioner had continual problems and the upstairs bathroom floor sank down in one place.  It wasn't perfect but I have very happy memories of my times with the two women that I shared it with.  My jobs weren't perfect either.  In fact, during a couple of them I threw up every night because of the nerves I had about returning the next day.  They were extremely stressful.  But, they did pay my bills.  I didn't marry until the age of 33.  I believe my husband was handpicked by the Lord just for me, and while he isn't perfect, I couldn't love him more.  We have one child and although as her mother I tend to think she is perfect, I guess she isn't in reality.  

I have come to realize that we weren't created to be perfect.  However, we are created perfectly.  God knew just what He was doing when He gave us our bodies and personalities.  He knew we would have weaknesses and that we would make mistakes but He also used those "imperfections" to teach us about Himself and to show us our need for a Redeemer.  Had He created us as perfect beings, what need would we have for Him?  

None of us are perfect.  Not physically, mentally, emotionally or even spiritually.  However, we are being perfected through our relationship with Jesus and one day, when we live with Him in Heaven, we will be perfect.  And what better way to say "thank you" than to spend eternity praising our Creator and Perfector?

This week will bring many reminders of just how imperfect we are.  I pray that you will be encouraged in the knowledge that being imperfect does not mean that you were not created perfectly.  Praise the Lord!  He knows everything about us and loves us still.  God bless you!