The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Have you ever had one of these days where you just long for Jesus to come RIGHT NOW! I had one of those moments last night. It wasn’t because “this world is so awful and heaven is such a better place”, or “oh my kids are so awful, I need rescuing”. Nope, it was “please Jesus come back and save me from myself”. Yup. I was dealing with the “ugly” me. Every word that came out of my mouth that previous hour, I just wanted to pull back in. I kept hearing that verse in Romans 7 in the back of my head when Paul says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”.

I really do want to believe that I am perfect and have it all together; that I never raise my voice or yell at my children; that I never speak an unkind word to my husband or about him; that I am the perfect friend, the perfect wife, the perfect mother. And, let us not forget the most important; I am the perfect child of God. For a few moments sometimes, I let myself believe that. Then that world comes crashing down, and I remember who I really am. I am a full-blown sinner.

In fact Isaiah 64:6 says,

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

Let’s face it; I am ugly, and I have a lot of ugly in me. There, I have said it. Ouch.

Thankfully, though, when my Father looks down upon me, He only sees beauty and perfection. Of course, he is looking at me through blood stained glasses; the blood of my beautiful and perfect Savior Jesus Christ. The blood that is my saving grace.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” 1 Corinthians 12:9.

Undeserved grace. Unmerited forgiveness. The ugly turns to beauty and the slate is clean once more. Of course, that isn’t to say that the ugliness doesn’t rear its head or that I don’t still long for the return of my savior. However, at least while waiting, I can rest in His saving grace and forgiveness.

Oh heavenly Father, how thankful I am that each day is a new day in You because of the saving mercy of your Son. When my flesh screams ugly, You cover me in beauty. Help me to remember, everyday, who I am in You Father.

Do you have moments of fleshly ugliness? What promises do you lean on to remind you who you are in Him?