Beginning Again

"There is no sin SO great that it cannot be forgiven.  There is NO wound too deep that it cannot be healed.  There is NO life so broken that it cannot be restored and made into something beautiful by the healing touch of  the Master's hand.  In Christ, there is always a sure hope of fresh, new beginnings, with the past totally forgiven as thought it had never happened."   

I believe that.  

I know God heals. 

I know God restores.  

I have seen something so totally dead be brought back to life.  

But first there has to be godly sorrow that leads to godly repentance ....that means quite a bit.    Forgiveness.  

There was a time in my life where there was great pain.  Revelation. Sorrow. and then the HARD work to believe in something that did not seem possible.  

Many times I would think of the story of the Prodigal Son and ask God...'could he please return the prodigal to me'... it was not until I realized and knew that the Prodigal had to RETURN to God first.  It was not about me - it was about a person and his relationship with God.  For me...when I realized that, and sought GOD to be my husband, best friend, and my first LOVE....then God was able to move MORE within our home, our lives, and our hearts.   God has to be first.  It was only when my husband fell back in love with God and asked God for help....to believe that he could be restored....did 'stuff' seem to get better and there was visible HOPE.  

I write this evening to encourage another -- don't give up.  

Beth Moore wrote a blog today about beginning again.  

God is the god of 2nd chances... and God does miracles.  

God CAN fix whatever.  

If you are in a difficult marriage, or some major hurt or pain has been revealed and it has to do with your husband -- give it to God.  Ask God to intervene.  Ask God to open his eyes.  Seek God as your husband, pal, and provider.  Seek a place of worship to be filled and prayed for.  Seek some counsel.  Seek.  

God can fix...but many times we must MOVE first in faith.  

Is God asking you to begin again or is God asking you to NOT give up?  

Only YOU and God can answer that.  

This week, I have had a LOT of thoughts about beginning again.  And there have been some new starts -- and  with each day, when I asked God, "please check me Lord, is  this right?"....   EAch Day -- HE replied....and peace remained.  

 I am not quite sure - for whom this post is intended, the hour is late.  But, I must remind you - as your read about the Prodigal Son below...please note, that I was a Prodigal daughter as well...spiritually.  I had walked away -- and thank YOU Lord, that you allowed me to begin again.  

Amen.  

The Story of the Lost Son (or daughter.)  

^11-12 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’

^12-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
^17-20 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.
^20-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
^22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.
^25-27 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’
^28-30 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’
^31-32 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”