This just doesn't make sense! Why? How?

The things that boggle my mind:

How O' God could you take this ash heap and restore its beauty?  How O' God could you take this broken vessel and fill it with your love?  How could you take a wretch like me and call me a son, a Royal Priesthood, a family member of the King?  Haven't you seen me in my darkest hour?  Don't you know how I've mocked your name?  Don't you know how I've pierced your hands and feet?  How O' God? Why?

I've heard that you love those who hate you.  I've heard you died for those who mocked you.  I've even heard that as those soldiers stuck you to that rugged cross you were lavishing your love on them.  Why are you so different?  Why is your love so amazing?  Why O' God do you love us so much?  Who is like you O' God!?  Who can compare to you and your endless love?

These were real questions I asked God this morning as I pondered his goodness and mercy.  Sixteen years ago, broken and beaten, cursing God, heading rapidly down the path that leads to destruction and in a moment He screams, "NO MORE!"  He literally plucks me off the wide road that leads to destruction and places me on the narrow path that leads to life!

Did I deserve it?  Absolutely not!  Aren't I the one who ignored him?  Aren't I the one who mocked him and those who followed him?  O' how can it be, that this Righteous King would rescue me?  I can't explain it, it's an astounding mystery.  

In an instance I thought about how I treated those who mocked me.  I thought how I treated those who hated me.  It thought about how I treated those who were hopeless, desperate, in need.  How I ignored them and cursed them.  What a wretch, yet he chooses to use me, he chooses to anoint me, he chooses to love me.

I'm in awe as I think back to how I left this place I call "home".   I'm in awe, when I think that God is showing his love through my mess.  I'm in awe when I think of the families who sat in my living room last night, worshiping the King, praying for one another, talking about the hope of Glory.  I'm in awe as I saw kids from a year old to 15 years old running around my yard playing the games I remember playing when I was young.  Manhunt, capture the flag, O' the memories that filled my mind.  O' the joy that met me last night!

I'm in awe when I ponder the fact that I did nothing to deserve this.  I realized that he really does use the weak.  I realized that he really can restore what has been broken.  I realized that he really is a life giver!  He really does give us ABUNDANT LIFE!  Not because we deserve it, but because he loves to restore, he loves to heal, he loves to take the heap of rubble and make it a glorious statue!  He loves to use the unlovable, the broken, the hurting, those that all have given up on.  You see, his love remains when everyone else's love quits.  He's amazing!  Bless his name!  Praise him in the sanctuary!  Praise him with dancing!  Praise him with the way you walk this earth!  Praise him!  Let everything that has breath Praise His holy name!

God bless you!

Jimmy