Eddie Askew writes about his passion for collecting old things – antiques, old paintings, antiquarian books and so on. He remarks that booksellers have their own jargon, written in abbreviated form. One of the descriptions to be aware of is WAF. It stands for ‘with all faults’. The dealer is warning the potential buyer that the book is imperfect, some damage has been identified and there may be more. If you want the book you have to accept it as it is.
I agree with his continued comment that God loves us in just that way. With all faults. He accepts us, He redeems us at great price, He gathers us into His family.
As I write there is a large sign outside the property we are occupying, it is a for sale sign. The agent has done a good job in presenting the property at its best, and we have spent many hours in preparation and repairs. However, stated or otherwise, the old but solid house is for sale ‘with all faults’.
We can’t earn God’s love, we can’t enhance God’s love, we can but accept that by grace God chooses to love us, with all faults.
I expect that the new owner of this house will embark on a plan of renewal and enhancement. I know that our Father does just that with each of us. But His love is not conditional on the anticipated vision of what we will become. He loves us now, just as we are.
1 John 4:9-11
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.