Hope is an amazing thing. You can be in the depth of despair, and then a glimmer of hope can arise and turn everything around. It might be a familiar landmark when lost, the right answer during a failing test, or a parent seeing their child’s fever break. The list goes on, but nothing is more important than our eternal hope. And God has given us a way to a wonderful eternity. That is a hope you can live with.
In the Garden of Eden, we see how Adam and Eve ignored God’s desires. They chose their wants over God’s rule. They listened to the serpent, and they defied the creator of the universe. They ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Once eaten, the fruit permeated their being. They then knew what evil was. As a result of this decision, they were thrown out of Paradise, and their contaminated blood passed from generation to generation. And that contamination became a barrier between man and God, but God didn’t give up on us.
Yet, in His boundless love, God has thrown us a lifeline – an open door for anyone willing to accept. The Bible tells us “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NKJV). Without a doubt we have all stumbled from time to time. Some have stumbled a lot harder than others, but we have all had our moments. That is the sin nature that we have inherited. Falling short of the Glory of God is what drives a wedge between Our Father in Heaven and us.
At death, the eternal road divides, and we are either destined to Heaven or to Hell. The sin nature tugs on people to the road of eternal torment, but God has thrown us a lifeline. He has opened the door for anyone who wants to accept. He is knocking on the door for anyone who wants to open it for him. How has he done this? He sent his son to save all who choose to be saved.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17 NIV)
Let’s unpack that. God, the creator of the universe, so loved the world. The world includes everyone – every single person, despite our fallen state. He loves everyone. Yes, we are a fallen mess, but He still loves us. He knows us deeply, even counting the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). So, the first thing to really grasp is that God loves you. Even if you think you are unlovable, God, our Father in Heaven, loves you. God’s love is personal and profound.
“...he gave his one and only Son, …” He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus came here on a mission. He came here to die on the cross as a sacrifice for all of us. He bore the sins of the world. Your sins can be wiped away, and you must do only one thing: believe in him. That is all you must do to be saved.
Do you remember earlier when you read, “In the Garden of Eden, we see how Adam and Eve ignored God’s desires.” They ignored his desires, and the price was very high. It is important to realize that God truly loved Adam and Eve. Likewise, he loves us, and his desire is that we believe in His Son. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NIV) All we have to do is accept that Jesus came to this world to bear our sins. “God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8 HCSB).
God sent His Son to save us, but we must be willing to be saved. As Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned....” (John 5:24 NIV)
So, what must you do? Accept that you are a sinner, believe the God in Heaven sent His Son, and accept the eternal gift that Jesus gave through his sacrifice. Below is a simple prayer you can repeat, but feel free to add as much as you would like to it.
Dear God, creator of the universe, I approach you today knowing that I am unworthy of your love, and yet, you love me. I know that I have sinned in my life. I have made mistakes, and yet, you love me. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. His sacrifice was a sin offering for all of us, me included. I am so grateful for that gift, and I want to thank you for what Jesus has done for me. Thank you for giving me eternal hope, and I pray you guide me. I pray that you stay close to me, and I pray that I will keep a focus on you. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
If you have said that prayer and have meant it, welcome to a new journey filled with hope and grace. Now is a great time to start reading the Bible. Learning more about what you have chosen to believe in is a wonderful thing.
I also suggest you find a Bible believing church. It is important for you to find a church home. Fellowship with other Christians is a great way to grow spiritually, and it is a great way to make some wonderful friends. You can be a Christian without a church home, but it is much harder to protect yourself from the darts the enemy will throw at you.
May God bless you and your walk with Christ. You now can have eternal hope. Let me be the first to welcome you to the family.
Your brother in Christ,
Layman Ray
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