In my dream, I was walking with Jesus on a city street. I had never envisioned this, always picturing Jesus in the dusty streets of desert city or in a green, growing garden. But not this. The street was cluttered--garbage in the gutters, dirt on the buildings and exhaust fumes in the air--and Jesus didn't belong here.

I apologized to Jesus, telling him that I would take him away from here, going to a better place than this.

He just smiled and we kept walking.

Then people started coming out of the dark alleys and dirty buildings. And such people! Dirty, smelly, dressed in rags. This wasn't right. These weren't good people.

I apologized to Jesus again, telling him that I wanted him to meet the people of my church. Nice people, gentle people, quiet people. And I wanted to show him our new sanctuary, a beautiful place with stained windows and soft music.

He just smiled and we kept walking.

And then I realized that the people I saw in the dark alleys and dirty buildings were just a reflection of my sins. They weren't defective people. Maybe they had done something that got them in this condition, maybe their wounds were self-afflicted... but maybe their wounds were just more visible than mine. Maybe the biggest difference is they got caught in their mistakes and I didn't.

I knew then that the darkness and anger and despair were just my sins with the covers thrown back. And, now coming to know this, I knew how sinful I was...

...and despaired. I turned to Jesus and asked him how he could stand walking with me.

He just smiled... and we kept walking.

Then I knew his love and I began to understand that he knew all my sins and still loved me. He knew my sins, each of them, and loved me none the less.

I turned to him again and asked him how much he loved me.

He just smiled, opened his arms wide...

...and died.

May you always know that Jesus knows your every sin and, just the way you are,

He loves you and is waiting for you to walk with him.