How did I get here? At this very moment in my life? The moment of sitting on this bench covered in shame. Why did I say yes? Why did I not walk away from the temptation? How do I get it back? My family, my job, my old life? How can I face tomorrow, covered in the shame of today?
No temptation is worth this, the loss of my soul. Do you think God will still help someone like me?
How many of us have sat on this very bench of shame and thought those same thoughts, asked those same questions? If we are honest with ourselves, many would say yes. Then why do we judge, why do we look away? Why do we walk away from the mess of someone's life instead of jumping in and helping them clean it up?
What would Jesus do? Would he step into the mess? Christ demonstrated over and over his desire to heal those struggling on their own shameful journeys. What does scripture tell us?
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing- Luke 15: 4-7 (KJV).
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish-Matthew 18: 11-14 (KJV).
Remember God's truth and promises found in the Word when you sit on your bench of shame. You're never too lost for Christ to find you, never too dirty for Christ to cleanse you.
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you-Matthew 7:7 (KJV).