“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.”  - 1 Tim 1:15

“What is man that you are mindful of him?” - Ps. 8:4

Saul was walking one day to Damascus and received an unsolicited visitation from heaven.  He didn’t ask or pray for this to happen, but it happened.  

He was a blasphemer, persecutor and a violent man who killed people. But Jesus met him and changed his life and transformed him into an apostle for us gentiles.  

David was the youngest son out in the field taking care of sheep.  He was also a potential adulterer and a murderer.  

But God loved him anyway, called him, anointed him, made him king and transformed him into a “man after God’s own heart”.  

I went up to Camp Au Sable to check out girls, kill time and skip class.  I was also a glutton, compulsive liar, porn-addict, and a hypocrite. But Jesus loved me anyway, bore long with me, and transformed me into a sinner saved by grace. 

Names change over time but the story remains the same.  The story of grace always trumps the story of sin.  

God is always on the run - to seek and save the lost.  He stops under a sycamore tree to save a thief.  He goes through Samaria to save the woman at the well.  He invites Himself over to dine with the sinners to save them.  He stoops down to save the woman caught in adultery.  He uses His last dying breath to save the murderer on the cross.  

He still chases with a passion those that are drowning in secret or blatant sins.  Those with guilt, shame, hurt, pain and regret.  

He has been and will always be faithful to save - if we’ll let Him.  

Wherever you are tonight - your Savior is Mighty to Save.  

it all makes sense.

You can connect the dots.

You understand why certain things happened.  

And you would have it no other way.

Only in retrospect.

But does it have to be this way?

Couldn’t you simply appreciate this moment though you didn’t understand it? 

I used to hurry through life.

Ever desiring to fast-forward and skip to the good parts.

I wanted to be 16, then 18, then 21.

Always on the run for the next meal, next person, next break, next vacation, next semester, next year, next opportunity, next job. 

In desperation for next … I lost the present.  

Always groping but never finding.

But this semester I found it, by God’s grace.

For what seems to be the first time in a long time, I was content, where I was, who I was with, and with my present and current circumstances.

I was fully in the present - relishing and treasuring everything and everyone in my life.  

I was going sleepless, with tons of assignments, projects, events, work while trying to graduate with a newborn baby.  

In times before, I would’ve wished myself out of the present condition - and would’ve hurried through everything that was going on.  

But this time it was different.  I wanted to fully taste, experience and see where I was, who I was with and what I was going through.  

And now that the semester’s over, with graduation around the corner with a 40-day-old baby Enoch - I praise God for the contentment in my heart and the serenity in my soul.  

And no longer do I need a “retrospect” to understand what happened - I fully gained understanding by choosing to live in the present.