"Destined"

I hear it often, people saying that they seem destined to be ruined! Oh, I don't hear those exact words but that's the jest of what is said. I had a young man, facing a prison sentence said that his whole life (23 yrs.) was nothing more than trouble and believed that was his purpose in life. You hear it among the homosexuals that they were created this way. While passing through a lake area, there was a tattoo shop and advertised out front were "new" tattoos. The one that caught my attention: "Born to Lose". I wanted to stop just to ask the owner how many times that had been put on a human body. People seem to 'throw' themselves into ungodly actions with glee and cheer. They simply seem destined to ruin themselves or think they were created for this purpose.

I've watched alcoholics in deep despair, starring out into a world they know nothing about. They can't let go of a drink too long before the despair hits them. While trying to help a family deal with a father that was drunk most of the time, he looked at me and said, "I'm just an old beaten drunk!" while tears flowed down his cheeks.

What are we to do with the millions who believe they are destined for ruin? It's their choice but they grow up in homes ripped apart by horrible sins, selfishness and greed. Sin is all they know. We look at such and think their lives are nothing like ours...but is that true? They have chosen a life of sin and debauchery with no faith in Jesus. Yet we sit around, sometimes a little smug, looking at all the pain and horrors, not wanting us (or our children) to touch such. They, along with us at one time, are headed to the finality of hell. Then the words cross my mind, "How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15)

Sin is sin! Wickedness is wickedness! It was Jesus who spoke that He came, not to condemn the world but to save it! Man wasn't destined to perish. Man will perish because that is what we have chose for our destiny! Jesus thought so much of mankind, all of mankind, that He gave up His position and touched the world of human failures. Jesus knew the danger and end result of every one's sin was so horrible that something had to be done that only He and God could do. To make light of sin is to make light of Jesus!

We have a gospel saving message. Let's not take our lives away from the sinners but take the saving message to them. We seem to have forgotten this in the church. Little outreach and when we do reach out, it's mainly about food, clothing and shelter, not the eternal soul. People need Jesus! They need God! God did not destine anyone to perish but people believe that's all they have because they have never heard any difference. The gospel is God's power to save and turn people's lives around. Have we forgotten that?