These verses have been a comfort for me many, many times.  There were many years when I did not have a home of my own and was always on the move.  There were many times when if it were not for the Mercy of Jesus, I would literally have gone hungry.

Many people try to work for their salvation by doing good deeds and giving money.  That will never get us to Heaven.  There is nothing that you and I could ever do that would satisfy the requirements of a Holy God for our wickedness and sins.  Jesus is the only One that God will accept as an atonement for our sins because Jesus never sinned.

I have thought many times about Jesus growing up as a Child.  I am sure that His mother had to slap His hands when He reached for something hot or something that was not good for Him.

The Bible says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."  (James 4:17 King James Version)  When we are just little children we don’t know any better, so it is not sin for us.  However, there comes a time in every person’s life when he or she has to account for his or her actions.

I used to blame my parents for everything that was wrong in my life until one day I was watching a Billy Graham Crusade on television.  Billy Graham said, "Young people, don’t you blame your parents for your sins.  There comes a time when you have to give an account of your actions and words to Jesus".  I have never forgotten what he said in that Crusade.

I saw a Christmas Festival that my church put on and it was about Dickens.  There was an angel that showed him many things that would happen in the future.  At the end of the play, my heart broke as Dickens said, "I gave my life to that store".  Dickens knelt and said, "I’ve been so foolish".

Are you giving your life to someone or something other than Jesus?  Will you have to say to Jesus, "I’ve been so foolish", or will you be able to meet Jesus with joy because you know that you did the best you could.

September 28, 2005