Am I too far gone? Is it too late for me?

So many say these words not understanding or not having experienced true love.  Once you know what true love is you would know that you are never too far gone.  It’s not too late.  

1 Corinthians 13:4 -7 defines love as  ““… patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 John 4:18 tells us that “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (NIV)”

God’s love is perfect.  His is the only perfect love.  His Word also reminds us that it is not that we love Him but that He loved us FIRST (1 John 4:19), while we were still sinners at that.  We don’t have to wait until we “clean up” our act or make amends with all of those we may have wronged, neglected or abused.  All we have to do is come. By taking the first steps, in truth and in love, knowing that we no longer want to do life alone, we get to experience His perfect love.   

What’s the first step? Well, there are three small steps.  Admit.  Acknowledge. Believe. Then all you have to do is Receive.  Admit to what you may ask?  To the fact that you need help and you need Him.  That you can’t save yourself.  That the feeling you have had all your life that there must be something more is more than just a feeling.  It’s Him.  Your Father.  God. He’s calling.  

Calling you into His presence.  Calling you to lay it down.  Calling you to put down all the walls and all your defenses. To put away that mentality that you don’t need anyone, and that you can do it on your own.  Calling you back to Him.  He is your Father and He wants you back.  

If you have children or cared for children in any way, then you know that feeling as you watch your child struggle or watch them as they are about to do something that you know will bring pain and will only end badly.  You may have watched as your child has made one bad decision after another trying to “fit” in or be like the others or be as handsome or pretty as the girl or boy next door.  You watch as they work trying to “make something of themselves” and end up only working themselves to complete and utter exhaustion all the while remaining empty inside.  As a parent you watch knowing that all you can do is offer your help, give them advice and hope they take it.  Then, after disregarding your counsel, you watch.  You watch as they fall into a pit all the while your heart breaks. You want so much better for them.  And you can help, if only they would come, listen, learn and do.  If only they would let you in, take your hand and let you guide them and protect them.  

You as a mere human, with limited capabilities, know exactly how that feels.  Can you not see how your Father God yearns for you to let Him in?  And He’s God!  He is truly more than capable of guiding you, protecting you, teaching you and most all loving you so completely that all other love you have ever felt in your life pales in comparison.  

He watches over you waiting for the day you would come back home.  He waits for you to talk to Him and tell him what has you so downcast so He can comfort you.  He has given His Son, Jesus Christ, so that you could come into His throne room whenever you want, wherever you are and tell Him all your cares, all your heartaches, all your dreams and to look for His advice, which is always perfect.  

Do you think that love like that has an expiration?  Do you really think a love like that has a track of hurdles you must run before you could reach Him?  Do you really think that as His child He would create endless obstacles before you could be loved by Him?  Do you really think that you have to “get it together” before you could show your face to Him, before you could feel His love for you?  

Friend, He doesn’t ask for much.  He gave up His Son for you and in return Father asks that you accept His Son as Lord.  God’s Word says that we need to admit and say out out loud that we are sinners (News Flash: we ALL are).  Romans 3:23 puts it like this: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Admit you’ve made mistakes, and then admit that you believe!  You believe that He is God and sent Jesus, God the Son, to die on a cross to save you.  You believe that on the third day after Jesus’s death , He Rose!  I will say this, it can’t be lip service.  He’s God.  He will know.  You’re asking for His heart, which whether you believe it or not you already have, no matter what you’ve done.  He just wants yours in return.

That’s when the journey and adventure truly begins!  Like any journey, it will have its own challenges, hills, and trials but the difference here is now you NEVER walk alone. NEVER!  He looks at all your mistakes, small and large, and pushes them all out of the way.  

Imagine a giant pile of black trash bags between you and the Father.  Some are small and some enormous!  The pile towers over you.  It makes no difference to Him. When you decide with your heart that you want Him and you do the three things (Admit, Accept and Believe), Jesus comes with His Almighty arm and swipes them all completely away and clears the path to the Father.  The path that leads to Him.  They are all gone.  Forever!  Never to come between you two EVER again.  EVER.   His Word says He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west and he remembers them no more. It also tells us that though we were stained red from our sin, He covers us in His righteousness and makes us white as snow.  “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.(Isaiah 1:18)”  The Holy Spirit seals you.  You are His and He is yours, forevermore.

The path is clear, the journey begins and His love awaits.  His guidance, counsel, protection, wisdom, comfort and most of all, His love is now available to you.  More love than your heart could ever hold.  A love that never withers.  A love that stands the test of time and withstands the most intense fires of your life.  A love that climbs the highest mountains and reaches the deepest depths.   There is no distance He wouldn’t go for you, no battle He wouldn’t fight for you.  His is a love you don’t have to earn.  You could never earn it, it’s a gift.  All you have to do is receive. Once you are His, you are His forever no matter how many times or how epically you may falter.  His love has no end, no measure.  His Word says, once you are His, all you need to do is call on the name of the Lord and He is there!  To deliver, to comfort, to fight, to shield, to love you just where you are.

So no Friend!  You are not too far gone.  It’s not too late.  The time is just right.  He’s divinely patient.  His Word says that He is long suffering, His love is steadfast and everlasting.  

Could this be the moment you admit, acknowledge and believe?  He’ll wait.  He is always there.  Waiting.  Like a worried parent looking out the window waiting for their child to come back home.  Like a parent that knows that the child is safest, best cared for and provided for, when they come home.  

HE is your home.  Jesus has already cleared the path. Would you come?

He’s waiting… waiting just for you!