Encouragement

---

I am a man who has made many mistakes and hurt many people. But I’ve been taught that God doesn’t give up on His own children. Neither does He give up on the world. He continues to get His message out. He wants everyone to be saved. Every one. He doesn’t quit on the homeless, the drug addict, the dealer, the con man and even the prostitute. He knows that if they just turn to Him, He can fix them.

He is fixing me. Where I once was a cynic, now I see through His eyes. I still mess up and most of the times I mess up big time. When I do, sometimes I feel hopeless and irreparable. I feel like the old car rusting in the junkyard – forgotten. I mean, really. Who would want me? I’m flawed and nothing at all like a diamond. Yet, here comes Jesus. Instead of going to the new car lot, He’s shopping in the junkyard. He points to me and says, “I want that one.”

I cried out horrified, “What? You want me? Oh Jesus, don’t you know who I am? Don’t You know what I’ve done? No, You want Billy Graham or Joyce Meyer. Not me. I’m not what You want. Look away! I’m old and rusty. I have deep scratches and dents. Even my motor is seized and my brakes are shot. My mom and dad hated me. No one loves me! I am forgotten and rejected! How could You, the God of the Universe, who owns everything, want me?”

Does this sound familiar?

Yet, He reminds me about the Valley of the Dry Bones. He reminds me that He resurrected Lazarus to life after being dead and rotting for four days. He reminded me of Peter, the salty sailor who denied Him 3 times. He reminded me of John and James, the sons of thunder. You know them, right. They had severe “foot in mouth” disease.

Gently, He touched me and said, “You’re not hopeless. In My Eyes, you’re priceless. I can make your crooked paths straight. I AM the same God who created the universe out of nothing. I AM the same God that can resurrect you, too. Take My Hand and let Me help you.”

He says the same thing to you as He says to me. “I’ve called you by name and I know who you are. And you have found favor in My Sight.”

I realize then there’s not one who is hopeless. There’s not one relationship that He cannot mend. There’s not one He won’t forgive. There’s not one that He will not love. There’s not one He will not quit on. He will part the Red Sea of your life and kill the enemy of your soul. He will not squish your heart. He will say to the Father, “Dad, forgive this one. This one is mine. I died for this one. For My sake, let this one live.”

That’s His message to the world and to us. That’s the message of Hope.

There’s one last thing… if you ever thought of quitting on someone, please think about it again. Don’t quit on them. Hang in there. Pray for them. Keep doing well for them. Bless them. They may be the most grouchiest stubborn so and so… I’m asking you because I was that person once and in some instances, I still am. And someone prayed for me, and didn’t give up on me. And here I am writing on behalf of all the misfits and forgotten… and messy Christians. It just may be your stubborn unwillingness to quit that may save their life.

God still is in the miracle working business.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE