At one moment, you could feel like you’re standing on top of the world; yet when tragedy strikes and despair begins to overshadow your life, those warm feelings suddenly turn into an alarming question, “Does anyone care?” Two words answer that question: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). This is the shortest verse in the Bible; yet it speaks volumes of the love Jesus has for you. It doesn’t give Him pleasure to see you suffer. Indeed, He desires the best for you, and wants to heal that broken heart. He cares!
Perhaps you’re standing on the edge of hurt, and you’re saying to yourself, “What have I become?” You may feel like you’ve made too big a mess of your life to turn back and start over, that you’re an utter failure, and a waste of life. Listen, you can’t be less than what Jesus thinks of you. He gave His life for you. That means your life has great value in His eyes. When He looks at you, He doesn’t see a worthless human-being, but someone who was worth dying for.
Do you know what Jesus said before He died? He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). In other words, Jesus opened the door of forgiveness to the world, bridging the gap that separated man from God. And now He offers you an opportunity to break free from the guilt of your past. All you have to do is confess your sins to God, and embrace the new life He wants to give you in Christ.
Indeed, the question of whether God loves you or not has already been answered: “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The questions that remain, however, are, “Are you finished trying to make it on your own? Have you had enough yet?” You’ve seen what this world is about; you know its sorrows well. Are you ready to stop resisting the will of God and surrender your life to Jesus?
You may not be able to undo the pain you’ve caused others in the past, but you can certainly start life afresh in Christ. You can find forgiveness in Him for all your sins. Will you let Him usher you into a new world of hope and promise? He can wipe the tears from your eyes better than you can. He’s knocking at the door of your heart. Will you let Him in? Open that door and invite Him in.
~ Chris S. Esty