The Lord chooses imperfect you, to do the perfect.

" The Lord chooses imperfect me, to do the perfect." 

This phrase hit my spirit this morning as I was digging through Romans chapter 8.  This chapter is filled with famous verses like, "There is therefore now no condemnation to the those who are in Christ Jesus."  One of my favorite and I believe personally transforming truths found in the cannon of scriptura. Adoption, by Abba Father, Sonship, setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, and not on the filth of the flesh.  Creation groaning, God's people groaning.The Spirit's intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Man, that's a lot of groaning.  But groaning is not grumbling.  Remember that!  And then knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  Culminating in the powerful reality that nothing can separate us from this Abba's Father God's love.  So much revelation, wisdom, and truth packed into just one chapter.  As I mull over this sacred text, I hear again, "the Lord chooses imperfect me, to do the perfect"  And then I think of what the word "Perfect" invokes in me.  And it inevitably stirs up the sense of being imperfect.  A place or state of being that is impossible to attain.  Just hearing the word makes me feel imperfect.  Performance, striving to an impossible standard that once I get even close to, I will fail to grasp or fully know.  I start thinking of all of my flaws, weakness and shortcomings.  Or, the instant need to justify myself every time I touch on the imperfect in me with, "Yea Yea, well, I'm not perfect!"  How many times have I had to tell my wife that she didn't marry Mr. Perfect.  Like she needed me to remind her. 

But then something shifts in me, as I hear this word in light of the Holy Spirit's illumination and love, and do a little further mining into what this word "Perfect" really means.  Because you see, to God the word "Perfect" is very different altogether. This is good, listen to the way that biblical scholar Dennis Bratcher breaks down the real meaning of the word Perfect as it pertains to use in the scripture.

 The Hebrew word (tam or tamim) does not carry the meaning of "without flaw" as does the term "perfect" in English.  It normally means complete or mature or healthy (for example, Lev 22:21). That meaning of mature dominates most use of the equivalent Greek term in the New Testament (telos). Something, or someone, can be complete or mature yet not be "without flaw." In fact, it is much easier to be mature and still have flaws, than it is to be without error or without flaw. Many people are mature, but few if any are "without flaw." A six year old can be mature, and still have a lot of growing to do, just like a person can be "holy" and have a lot to learn about spiritual maturity.
It takes me back to Adam, the first man to ever walk the earth, made in the very image and likeness of God.  And because of that pure DNA running through his veins he actually was a perfect being or as we read above, he was a complete, healthy, and mature being.  Of course we know though that something really bad happened that changed perfection to imperfection. Adam listened to his wife!  No, just kidding.  I just wanted to see if you were still tracking with me. 

Fast forward a few thousand years and you hear Jesus saying, " Be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect."  AHHHHHHHH!  Jesus, how do I do perfect!"  How can I be held to the same standard that God Himself holds Himself to?  How could the Apostle Paul say, "I am the chief of sinners!"  After writing Romans 8?  Do you want to know?  It's because Jesus showed up in Paul's weakness, or imperfections- And perfected His own power in the very places where Paul still had to mature, grow in health, and come into completion.  He knew that The Perfect One, who had a begun a good work in his life, would complete it, or bring it to perfection, full maturity, and health.   Paul knew that God would do the Perfect in His life, because Christ in me the hope of glory was at work.  The perfection of Beauty, the Sinless, Flawless One was doing a perfect work in his imperfect life!  This wasn't just a receive Jesus into your heart and everything will be okay, and you will never have to resist temptation ever again, or you will always be strong, or some name it and claim it type of message.  This was a "God who is the most Perfect Person in the Universe, the most complete, mature, healthy person in the world, is doing something perfect in your life message!  That Christ in you, who is Perfect, is perfecting that which concerns you.  Perfecting His power in your imperfections.  The Perfect one is not intimidated by your imperfections, but rather sees your imperfections as an opportunity to make you a complete, healthy, mature individual.  So next time you see or notice your imperfections, or have to remind your wife that she did not marry Mr. Perfect, take a deep breathe, and simply say, Come Lord Jesus!  Let your perfection's reflection be revealed in me.  Let your perfect love which casts out fear, fill me, and cause me to love perfectly.  Say to yourself, imperfection.. The Perfect One is here, and the Perfect One will complete me, mature me, and make me healthy.  "He is the Rock, His work is perfect."  And I am His workmanship in Christ Jesus, so do your perfect in me Lord!  The End- Or just the Beginning.. :)