7-2-2022

Good Morning!    

              1 Timothy 1:15; “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost”.

   Here is a little story for you.

 

We are all Beggars before God

 

I am but a poor, humble beggar who was sitting in a gutter along the side of the road, lost, dirty and weighted down having no hope; then along came Jesus.  He reached down and took me by the hand, pulled me up and out of the mud and the filth and the mire.  He took the weight off of my shoulders and placed it on his own.  He washed me; fed me and gave a new set of clothes worthy of the finest banquet.  As he took me by the hand, we continued to walk down the street finding other poor, humble beggars.  He allows me to help him.  They are washed, just like me, with water and his Spirit, They are fed, just to me, with his body and blood.  They get the same new clothes and are going to the same banquet.  Some are already there.  But the rest of us just keep walking down the road with Jesus as our guide, our strength, our comfort, and our hope.  Unfortunately, some don’t want to travel with us and some who did went a different way.  We continue to travel down the road together, trying to bring this same cleansing, this same wonderful meal to all that we meet.  I am a poor, humble beggar, worthy of nothing but receiving the greatest gifts of joy, hope and blessing; I am a poor, humble beggar cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God.     

 

     As we go through life, we are truly all beggars before God.  The wonder of this is that God specifically looks for the downtrodden, the hurt, the suffering.  In the Gospels it was the lepers, the tax collectors, the outcasts, the lost; all the people who the world despised that Jesus sought out.  So, when you feel like a leper or an outcast, like a beggar; know that Jesus died for you, and he seeks you out.  He calls to you with the power of his love and grace.  He calls to you with his body and blood.  He calls to you with his Church to give you comfort and consolation.  He calls to you with his Word to give you the words of forgiveness, the words of hope the words of promise of your salvation.  He wants you to be part of his family.  He wants you to be saved.  Trust this promise for your salvation.

Gracious Father, all that I have is from you.  I was lost and blind, but you rescued me and now you give me hope.  Guard and protect me as I journey on toward you.  Be with those who are lost and hurt.  Be with those who have lost their way and are struggling with life.  Give them your Word of forgiveness and salvation.  Bring them hope and peace.  All this we ask in the precious name of Jesus, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret