Not Beyond Repair

Read: Psalm 103:2-6, 8-12

Hudson sat down at the kitchen table and watched as his little sister, Violet, tried to staple several pieces of paper she had colored into a book. “When I was your age, I had to push with all my weight on the stapler,” he said.

Suddenly, Violet stood, chair scraping, launched her project into the trash, and stormed to her room.

“I’m right here if you want”—Violet slammed her door—“help,” Mom said. She rescued the book from the trash and examined it. Violet had managed to staple it three times in the middle, but couldn’t figure out that to flip it open like a book, it had to be stapled on the side. Mom knocked on Violet’s door.

“Come in,” Violet said with a huff.

“I know a way to fix your book,” Mom said. “Do you want help?”

Violet nodded and followed Mom to the kitchen. “I tried, but I can’t do it!” she wailed.

Mom walked to a drawer and opened it. “Sometimes parents know things kids don’t,” she said, pulling out a staple remover.

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen those before!” Violet said, her face brightening.

Mom removed the center staples and helped Violet re-staple the sides of the papers. “It’ll have some small holes in it, but it will still work great.”

Violet hugged her book and then hugged Mom.

Hudson grinned. “That’s like what God does for us, huh, Mom? He rescues us from the trash and makes us work right again.”

Mom smiled and hugged both her kids. “You’re right, Hudson. God can rescue us and repair any mess we’ve made, no matter how big it is. We all do things that are wrong, but God is always there to forgive us and help us when we mess up. Nothing is beyond His repair.”

“Does God have a giant staple remover?” Violet asked.

Hudson and Mom both laughed. “No, Violet, He has something better,” Mom said. “Jesus died in our place to rescue us from sin and make us new people. When we trust Him as our Savior, He forgives our sins and His Holy Spirit empowers us to live life God’s way.”

–Pearl Allard

How about you? Do you feel like your life is beyond repair? Maybe you’ve done so many things wrong that you feel like a mess no one can fix. No sin is beyond God’s forgiveness, and no person is beyond His repair. He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue you from sin and death, and He will make you a new person and always be there to help you. Trust in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today’s key verse: He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. Psalm 103:4 (NLT)

Today’s key thought: No life is beyond God’s repair