Girls Talk: A Perfect Godly Man

Few weeks ago, two sisters and I talked about a brother in our church. In our sights, he is so perfect. He is a godly man that every single-Christian-woman might dream about. I agree with them. Then one of the sisters said, “But, is he too perfect? Imagine, how can we marry someone like him? We are broken-hearted girls. Will he accept a girl like us to be his spouse someday?”

I was kept silent. I did not know the answer until I shared our conversation to my accountability partner.

“He is a sinner, Novi,” she said. “When you see him so perfect, it is not him that you see, but Christ, the perfect God, that lives in him.”

That’s definitely true. “Then, if he is so perfect, just like Jesus, will it be possible that he accepts a broken-hearted girl like one of us? I mean, he is sooooooo godly.”

“If he as perfect as our God, he must be merciful and able to forgive his future wife’s sins in the past.”

“How if the sin is relate to a sexual relation? It is really serious. Will he forgives?”

“Well, it’s hard for him, since he is only a human being. But since he is a new creation in Christ, I believe he can forgive, just like the God Himself. Only God’s children have power to forgive. And yeah, don’t forget that he is also a sinner, no matter how godly he is. His future wife should be ready to forgive him too. Who knows that he might have bad life in the past? Maybe the one who should forgive is not him, but his future wife.”

I nodded my head, agreed with her answer.

Well, actually the conversation was not exactly like that, but as long as I remember, we were talked like that ;p.

I thought it just normal when we (girls) see a godly man and sometimes feel unworthy for him. But then I found that it was not that normal. If you feel so unworthy to receive love from a godly man, maybe you have problem with receiving God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. I dare to say about this because that’s what I feel during this lent season. Through many things that happened in my life and around me (e.g. the conversation I wrote above), God revealed to me my heart issue: I do not really trust that His love for me is unconditional. I always feel the need to do anything to prove that I am worthy enough to receive His love. I feel the need to be sooooooooo godly woman to receive His love! That’s totally wrong and arrogant.

God loves me unconditionally. He forgives me without remembering my sins. Instead, as far as the west from the east, He threw away my sins. He never counts on my transgressions. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for me so that I may live and have an abundant life in Him! He knows that I was a sinner, is a sinner, and will ever be a sinner, yet he still loves me, forgives me, even He calls me to be His coworker to build His Kingdom, the Heaven on earth! Is it sounds crazy, isn’t it?

During this lent season, I really need to humble myself before the LORD. For many years, I have been so arrogant, thinking that I am good enough, worthy enough to receive God’s love because I am “forever-Christian”. I was born in a Christian family, educated in Christian schools and Christian university (even had finished 7 theology classes plus apologetics!), faithfully serve at church, even evangelized some people. I thank to God for few months ago when He allowed me to fall into sins that could not be tolerate. That’s really painful to find myself unfaithful to Jesus. But then I realized that he used my fall into sin to show me how sinful I am, yet still God loves and accepts me unconditionally.

For these past few weeks, often I feel guilty, dirty, shame, fear…. Often I cried. For me, it is also hard to forgive myself. Sometimes, I feel like Peter, who was excited to die for Jesus, but then easily betrayed Him. I remember confessing my sin to my accountability partner and Ps. Andrew. Both of them prayed for me and convicted me that God forgives. Ps. Andrew even asked God in prayer to wash me so that I will be whiter than snow. He prayed that this painful memory would be a joyful memory for me, knowing that I am forgiven. He also prayed for me to have a full confidence in Jesus’ love for nothing can separate me from God’s love.

Until today, I am still struggling in trusting that Jesus’ love and forgiveness for me is unconditional. Sometimes, I still feel unworthy of God’s love. But I know that my heart is getting restored as the Holy Spirit keeps working in my life. Then, as I think about God’s love and how it may relates with my future spouse, I ask God for a godly man like Hosea, who loved Gomer, accepted and forgave her unconditionally. I also promise that no matter how bad was my future spouse’s past, I will forgive, accept, and love him. I pray that mercy will be one of our love expressions, so that our love story will glorify the LORD, who is merciful.

Big thanks and praises for Jesus Christ, the first perfect godly man in the world! Thank you for made me feel so precious, honored, and loved. Lord, I love to see Jesus lives in this godly man (the one I talked above), but please have my eyes on you, instead of him, no matter how awesome is he.