READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; ROMANS 3:23-24; 5:6-11; COLOSSIANS 1:12-14

I’ve decided to begin looking for a house. Prices are coming down a little, and I have a good chunk of money in savings. It just feels like the right time. My parents explained the best next step would be to get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This will let me know how much I can spend. So, I called the bank down the road to start the process. They directed me to fill out an online application, and I immediately began working on it. It was extensive. There were so many tabs and little boxes to complete. The final section was likely the scariest—my employment history. It reminded me of filing my taxes.

And, just like filing my taxes, I was terrified of making mistakes. Would the bank disqualify me? Would I be good enough? Did I make enough? Suddenly every coffee, every bag of chocolate-covered peanuts, every pack of fake nails I’ve ever bought played in my head. Had I even saved enough? That fear made me reluctant to even finish the application.

As I considered this, I thought of how people often don’t come to Christ because they feel like they have to get themselves together first. They think they have to get back on the right track and get everything right before God will even accept them. But this isn’t true. Unlike my loan that I have to “qualify” for, there is no qualifying for God. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

While we are still sinners, guys! Jesus Christ meets us where we are. He paid our debt. We don’t have to tally it all up for Him. We don’t have to hurry and walk old ladies across the street or serve in fifteen countries before God will be willing to “consider our application.” The only thing we need to do is come to Him. • Natty Maelle

• Do you ever feel like you have to “get yourself together” before you can go to God? Why do you think that is? (For more about how to have a relationship with God, see our “Know Jesus” page.)

• When was the last time you talked through your heart with Jesus? Consider taking some time today to tell Him everything. Your hurts. Your sins. Your anger. And allow the Holy Spirit to speak into that moment.

• Have you heard this message before but still just don’t believe it? That’s okay. You can do a few things from here. First, you can reach out to trusted believers in your life and talk to them. But also, just take sometime and talk to God about it. He wants us to question and grow.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)