A New Life

We had two young women make life-changing decisions this past weekend in our church. One young woman came back to God, after a long time away. Without going into details (those are hers alone to share), she's been living her life the way she wanted, instead of following God's leading.
She found her way back this last Sunday, and God swept her up into His loving arms. I know God is always happy when His children come home, and I'm sure He was overjoyed about this young woman. The angels rejoiced with us all...
I spoke to her a few minutes last night after prayer service, and gave her my numbers. I told her that I would be there for her when and if she needed me. I also made sure she understood that I'm not going to judge her, because I've messed up plenty of times myself. I think that's one place we Christians fail our new members, or folks coming back to God. We don't let them know that we fall down all the time; new Christians may think that once you get saved, you don't mess up anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth- and we need to make sure they know it. I mess up everyday, just like everybody else does. The only difference between me and someone who isn't saved is this- I've turned my life over to God, and He helps me when I do fall down. He brushes me off, reminds me that He loves me, and sets my feet back on the path again.
There's a song on Mark Lowry's "But Seriously" album (thanks to Bob Carlisle):

Cursing every step of the way, he bore a heavy load
To the market ten miles away, the journey took its toll
And every day he passed a monastery's high cathedral walls
And it made his life seem meaningless and small

And he wondered how it would be to live in such a place
To be warm, well fed and at peace; to shut the world away

So when he saw a priest who walked, for once, beyond the iron gate
He said, Tell me of your life inside the place...
And the priest replied...

We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
And the saints are just the sinners
Who fall down and get up

Disappointment followed him home; he'd hoped for so much more
But he saw himself in a light he had never seen before

Cause if the priest who fell could find the Grace of God to be enough
Then there must be some hope for the rest of us
There must be some hope left for us

We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
And the saints are just the sinners
Who fall down and get up

Isn't it great to know that when we fall down, God's there to pick us up? Thank God there are no limits to how many times...