by Charles Stanley (Original Devotional found at In Touch Ministries)

Romans 5:6-10 New International Version (NIV)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Many people think they should wait to accept Christ’s offer of salvation until after they have improved themselves in some way. But that is actually the exact opposite of the gospel’s message.

We’re all unworthy of salvation. There is nothing we could ever do to merit God’s forgiveness and acceptance. However, He bridged the gap of sin that separated us and Him. We didn’t deserve this act of love; God did it on His own, motivated by His unfailing grace.

It would be a tragic error to think we had to make ourselves more presentable without first depending on Christ to enter our life. Jesus didn’t say, “Go clean yourselves up, get some rest, and then come to Me,” did He? Rather, He opened His arms and said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

Jesus didn’t wait until we deserved Him—He knew that we never could. Instead, He gave Himself freely for all mankind and extended an invitation for every sinner, just as he or she is, to come to Him and find rest.