Karlena has this teddy bear that was a gift when she was a baby. It is worn and ragged and missing some of its fur. There is a hole that needs to be fixed in one of its legs and it is no longer pink but more of a dirty grey/pink.

It isn’t pretty to look at and a good washing is no longer helping to restore its appearance. But when Karlena holds that bear, and she looks at it, all she sees is love.

Her teddy has been with her for almost 5 years. When we can’t find it there is a crisis. She talks to teddy and puts teddy down for naps, she has loved the life out of that bear.

Dominic has threatened to throw it away, it really is kind of gross…but I won’t let him. I know that some day she won’t need to have it with her like she does now. But for now it is her companion.

I picked teddy up the other day and really looked at it. And the thought crossed my mind, that bear isn’t much different than I am.

Often I am worn and ragged, dirty from my sin and faults. I have scars and imperfections and my outside doesn’t look as beautiful as it once did.

But yet when my Father looks at me all He sees is love.

It is hard to wrap my mind around this idea of God’s unconditional love for me. I have said it before here, the thought that God knew the person that I would be..all my failures, my bad choices and complete disobedience to His calling…and inspite of all of that He saw love.

So much love that He wanted to provide a way for me to be with Him in eternity. So much love that He sent His only Son to die for my sins.

Even if I had been the only one worth dying for….

Can you even fathom that kind of love?

I am not always grateful for that sacrifice. But seeing that teddy and knowing how much Karlena loves it…and realizing that God’s love for me, for you, is even greater….

Well sometimes we just need to sit and revel in that a moment don’t we?

Friends, we all have scars and broken pieces. We all make mistakes and if you are like me you feel like you don’t deserve that kind of lavish love. And you know what, we don’t. How incredible is it that we get to be the recipient of it anyways!

My prayer for you as you seek God would be that you would be flooded with His love for you, that you would know deep in your soul that you are His treasure. Find rest and comfort in that today!