I recently finished reading Max Lucado's latest, Outlive Your Life. It's kind of like The Hole in our Gospel meets Radical. One of the things that really struck me is how only God knows who He will be welcoming into His Kingdom. We sit here and we judge people. We say he drinks too much or she's too atheist, and we write people off. We don't like to admit it, but we do.
Do you realize what we're doing here? Saul of Tarsus persecuted Christians like few others we've seen. John Newton, who penned Amazing Grace, was a slave trader. And Max Lucado, the same man who wrote one of my very favorite books No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, was a complete wild child throughout his college years. Each and every one of us have been given the same chance, the same invitation. We all have the same opportunity to respond when we hear Jesus saying "Follow Me".
If we truly believe that we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), why do we think that someone else doesn't deserve the same second chance. If we are certain that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), why do we think that we're better than anyone else? I'm not perfect, not anywhere remotely close, but I am forgiven. And I'm not who I once was. I am new.
Lord Jesus, Thank You for being who You are, and for dying for our sins. Let us not forget that grace is a second chance, and since no one deserves it, all are welcome to accept the invitation. Let us not count anyone out, because You never looked away from us. To Your Glory and Praise. Amen
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you. This is what I command you: love one another. John 15:16-17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
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