A changed life...

It has been a while since I've posted anything, but I'm back. Never fear.
Today I feel moved to tell you something that has changed my life. It changed my life so deeply, so profoundly, that ultimately my eternal destiny has been affected. What could bring about such a dramatic result? One thing. The overwhelming, unending, undeserved love of God.  That's right. I said God loves me. THE God. The one who breathes stars, and fashions the human body, and holds the universe in His hand. He loves me. Can you believe that??? And it isn't because I'm a good person. I'm not. I'm a lying, thieving, manipulating, covetous, gluttonous, pride-filled, angry, murderous, adulterer at heart. To name a few. Don't believe me? Well, I've definitely lied before, in fact, quite a few times. I've taken things without asking, twisted my words to make people do what I want, desired things that aren't mine, over-eaten more times than I can count, looked down my nose at people every day of my life, been angry over silly things, hated people (which is the same as murder in God's eyes), and I'm guilty of lust which the Bible says is the equivalent of adultery. So see? I'm a mess. A stinking, filthy, unlovely mess.
I look at that list and again I am amazed. In spite of all those things, the God of the Universe loves me! And you know, He loved me so much that He gave up His most prized possession, His ONLY SON, to DIE for me. Are you following?? He made His SON, Jesus Christ, DIE FOR ME!! What in the world??  Ok, so far, I'm disgusting garbage, not worthy to be the sidewalk under Christ's feet, so He dies for me. Unbelievable. And yet, the most important belief I will ever ascribe to.
Why did he have to die? Because of that list up there. You see, that list, my unending list of selfish sin, sends me to hell.  Eternal punishment and separation from God.  Because every time I sin, I do so against the Person who made me. He fashioned me out of nothing and then gave me life, and I, everyday, choose to slap Him in the face by sinning. And because He is perfect and just, that means I deserve hell. Now, this is where that incredible love comes in again.
So, He knows that I can't save myself from hell, and loves me enough to send me a way out. That way was and is His Son, Jesus Christ. He shed his own blood in a terrible and horrible death because only a perfect sacrifice could pay for all the wrong I've done. And Jesus lived a sinless life, so He was the only One who could make good on my lifelong list of felonies against a Holy God. So, Christ willingly went to the cross and allowed Himself to be beaten, mutilated, and suffer a excruciating death. For me. So my list of garbage actions could be put through a shredder and forgiven.
FORGIVEN??? Yep, completely and totally pardoned. And the most amazing thing happened three days after he died. HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE!! Are you getting this? He came back from the dead folks! He defeated death. So that I don't have to go to hell. So that I can spend eternity in Heaven with Him!! Mind blown yet?
Wait, it gets better. He didn't just do this for me. He did this for THE WHOLE WORLD! He died for YOU! He died for YOUR LIST of nasty, unforgivable sin. He died and rose so that YOU don't have to go to hell. He died so that YOU can spend eternity in Heaven!! With JESUS!
And all you have to do is accept the gift. All you have to do is ask Christ to be your Savior too. Ask Him to forgive YOUR LIST, turn away from that list. It's not like it's something to proud of anyway. Let Him take it and wash it clean with His blood. He wants to. After all, when He died on that cross in the most painful death man could imagine, He was doing it for YOU.