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“And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

My husband recently reconnected with a friend he met 25 years ago. At that time, while living in Colorado Springs, our families spent time together and attended the same church. Although they haven’t seen each other since we moved from Colorado 20 years ago, the guys have stayed in touch, talking every now and then. This man’s wife, he said, still reads her Bible daily and goes to church…sadly, however, he leads a very different life.

During the conversation, this man shared with my husband that smoking weed, popping pills, and doing cocaine are as much a part of his week as eating, sleeping, and going to work. But sadder than all that was his response when my husband asked him about his faith. He simply said, “I’m just too f*#$ed up for God and church—I’m too far gone.”

Friend, please hear me: no one is ever too far from God—or too far gone—to receive the mercy, grace, and love of Jesus.

The proof is in the very words of God, from Genesis to Revelation. From Adam and Eve, who literally walked with God in the cool of the day, yet decided they wanted to do life their way, to the Israelites who witnessed daily miracles, yet saw the pagan world around them as a better way to go…to amazing believers like the Apostle Paul, who did the things he didn’t want to do and didn’t do the things he knew he should…to every single named and unnamed person who pushed the Lord away—until they recognized the Truth and surrendered (or returned) to Jesus. Sometimes it was a physical healing, restoration, or reconciliation. Other times it was simply a spoken truth—a light shined into the darkness of a soul.

But whenever and however, whoever calls out to the Lord Jesus Christ will be rescued (Romans 10:13). You may have grown up in the church and simply stepped away in rebellion for a season. Or maybe you’ve spent your whole life chasing after the things of the world. Maybe, like my husband’s friend, you try desperately to quell your internal pain and quiet your tormenting thoughts with drugs, alcohol, and pills. Regardless of where you may stand (or wallow, as the case may be), Jesus is right there, waiting for you to hand over your burden—and accept the free gift of grace, giving you peace with God.

This prayer to God for reconciliation with Him will always be answered in one way: “Yes” (1 John 1:9). He has great love for you. He is rich in mercy. And He will take your brokenness, loneliness, pain, and deadness in sin to make you alive with Christ—not by doing anything, but by His grace (Ephesians 2:4-5).

So, if you or someone you know is feeling desperate, like whatever they do doesn’t matter because they don’t matter…share with them this incredible truth: They could never, ever, ever be “too much of a mess” or too far from God where Jesus won’t meet them with open arms and outstretched, nail-pierced hands. They just need to fall into His saving embrace.

“Thank You, Lord, that we could never be too lost, too blind, or too broken to be too far from You. Please wrap Your loving arms around those today who are hurting and in need of Your peace.

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life