31 Days of Hope Day 22

As I have been focusing on HOPE for twenty two days now, I feel the Lord showing me the concept of hope in a way that I have never fully noticed before. I am asking myself some serious questions.  Some of the questions are an easy, YES!.  Some of the questions are a hesitant, yes.  A few of these questions, I will admit, I had a hard time answering yes to at all, however ,in the end the answer to all of the questions is, YES!  

This is where I am grateful I am not God.  How amazing to consider what I judge to be hopeless, God says there IS hope.  There is much I don't understand about God and yet, those same things make me love my Saviour even more.  The depth of His grace. The beauty of His mercy. The purpose for His hope. 

In my flesh there are a few things listed below that if I were God, I would never consider extending hope to, no matter how repentant a person was....that in itself is why I am NOT God!  That is hard for me to admit, however it is true.  God sees all of the things on this list (and more!), and yet ,hope is kept alive and waiting, until the last breath, even for what I judge to be "the worst of the worst". 

God does not measure sin.  All sin is simply sin. In our humanness, we measure sin according to our values, beliefs, and even in our experiences. God is ready and willing to forgive anyone for anything if they are truly repentant. That is the reason He willingly sent His son, Jesus Christ, our HOPE.  He allowed His only begotten Son, to pay the price for our sin so that we can HOPE! 

As you read through my questions, I encourage you to pray for those you know who may be struggling with hope in one of these areas.  If you are struggling in one of these areas and you need someone to pray with you, please let me know. 

Is there hope for someone who chooses abortion?

Is there hope for the abortionist? 

Is there hope for alcoholics 

Is there hope drug addicts

Is there hope for liars?

Is there hope for self mutilators?

Is there hope for abusers?

Is there hope for those who choose to hold onto unforgiveness?

Is there hope for the abused and neglected?

Is there hope for homosexuals?

Is there hope for thieves?

Is there hope for manipulators?

Is there hope for murderers?

Is there hope for prostitutes?

Is there hope for those in adultery /fornicators

Is there hope for kidnappers?

Is there hope for rapists?

Is there hope for the bully?

Is there hope for the bitter and angry?

Is there hope for drug dealers?

Is there hope for gang members?

Is there hope for sex addicts?

Is there hope for pedophiles?

Is there hope for the gambler?

Is there hope for the vindictive?

Is there hope for the unbeliever?

Is there hope for the racist?

Is there hope for the person who feels they have crossed the line one to many times, and is so far down in the pit, it seems utterly impossible to get out?

My friends, the answer to all of these questions is:  as long as there is breath THERE IS HOPE!

"and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us"  Romans 5:5

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins"  Colossians 1:13-14