A little girl standing in line behind us at Staples this evening went over to a display and picked up a bottle of hand sanitizer. Looking at her mom she said, “I need a new one of these because I wasted the last one.” I wondered how she had wasted it. Had she sanitized the dog or the cat? I loved her honesty. I immediately thought of us being honest enough with God to say, “I need a new life. I wasted the old one.” The little girl’s mom said, “Yes, you can have it.” And how happy I am to report that God says the very same thing to us, “Yes, you can have it.” What is even better about God’s replacement is it lasts forever. The bottle of sanitizer will someday be gone.
God is a great parent. It is perfect that Jesus told us to call Him “Father.” Nothing could be better. Today one of my students told about her mother totally shocking her. According to my student her mother had always been a model of decorum and gentleness, until the day my student saw another child bullying my student’s little brother. Her mom went ballistic. Parents are that way. I can only imagine the fate of those who have harmed God’s children. There is an old expression about “hell to pay.” I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.
Going back to the wasted lives, I love Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.” The word “uttermost” means just that. A totally wasted life is totally replaced. Now I am hoping that each of us didn’t totally waste our lives. I am sure each of us had some good days, weeks or years.
Written by Roger Bothwell on March 30, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org