Flawless

"Flawless" - it's not an adjective I generally use for myself. I occasionally tend to use terms like klutzy, bumbling, basket case, airhead... but flawless? Not likely. I'm painfully aware of my own shortcomings. Before you mentally begin concocting the obligatory response, (insert sympathetic tone) "Oh, but I don't see you that way. I think you're simply wonderful!" Spare me the psychobabble. I'm human. I mess up. I know it. I'm not so naive as to think that anyone who reads this is mystically superior to me. We all mess up.
It was with that in mind that I ran across Jude 24 in my personal devotions. Jude makes an outrageous claim. I can stand faultless and with great joy in the presence of God. I've sometimesheard that, when we stand before God, we will weep at how we have failed Him. Jude 24 stands in the presence of that sanctified guilt trip and firmly shakes its head. I think the problem lies in the focus of the effort. Yes, scripture talks about striving to make our calling and election sure. Without tackling the theological implications of that passage (after all, my family has to eat sometime today), I encourage the reader to look at Who it is that makes us faultless, without blame, holy... pick your term. It's all the same Person doing it. "...The only God our Savior" has things pretty well wrapped up in the holiness department. I could choose to flog myself for my failures. According to Jude (and numerous other passages), I can choose to accept my position as holy in Christ and ask for all of His power to live like it. Considering that He's the eternal God, that's a lot of power.
Knowing what I know about me, the thought of being seen as faultless is nothing short of totally miraculous, overwhelming and way beyond cool!