“I Am The Lord Your God”

Surely he has done great things! Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things! Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

Joel 2:21-27

None of us can say that we have no regrets. Often we are led down paths of bad choices – some paths longer than others – which can have a lingering effect on the mind, body, and soul.

People who have been free of substance abuse have been there on the edge. They can have devoted wives, kids who love Jesus. They can have a passion for life that others never have, because of what God has done for them in their lives.

People who have been tested can have a passion for reaching out to others who are in the ditch of life, and can serve as wise and loving mentors in the rescue operations of their lives.

God never gives up on us! Even if we have made poor choices in the past that have left us with regret, we can choose how we will live now.

While some consequences from the past may remain, we can be confident that God has a good and glorious future for those who trust in Him!

God never gives up on making something beautiful out of our lives.

Our Daily Bread – April 11, 2013