"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. . . . For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'"
~ Matthew 9:9-13 ~
When I would read the Scripture passage above, I used to think that Jesus didn't care about those who seemed to be "doing it right." He just liked the down-and-outters. But more recently, this verse has become such a grace to me as I continue to grapple with struggles, fight temptation, or adjust my attitude towards every-day inconveniences; while my soul is pressing heavenward, my flesh still lingers. I will not be truly good until I stand before the presence of my Savior, the place where sin is not a memory.
The reality of imperfection brings the joy of knowing His righteousness has been imputed to your soul at the cost of death and mercy. The pain of being broken invites His gentle hands to fix the pieces with the sealant of His abundant, whole life. The shame of soul-sickness comes with the knowledge that the Healer knows you just as you are, and furthermore, knows you as you will be.
I know I'm not fully whole or healed. But He's not finished with me yet.
(Pinterest)
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