Am I Saved? Part  2: Sorry

As Elton John once sang "Sorry seems to be the hardest word".  When it comes to God, most people in our North American 21st century society ignore Him.  We mostly try hard not to think about God.  He is the ultimate 'inconvenient Truth'. Instead we live our lives the way we want to. 'I did it MY way' ought to be carved on most tombstones.  This is the equivalent of the lunatics running the asylum.  We are not wired to work or live independently of God, it's just not in our DNA.  When we do, we find in ourselves and others, despair, pain, emptiness, a need for purpose and significance that nothing in this world can fulfill.  This 'hole in our soul' sits there, like a meal that we ate, but cannot digest.  Consciously or unconsciously, we cope by either addressing the void within us by trying to fill it with whatever comes to hand: romance, sex, power, or self-adoration.  Or we try to distract ourselves so we don't notice it for a while: the entertainment lifestyle.  We buy a never ending stream of toys, immerse ourselves in movies, books, soap opera TV or the Internet.  It's stupid, ugly and insults God, who has made us, created a wonderful future for us, and invites us to live with Him in the here and now, as well as forever.

Basically, everybody worships something: work, spouse, money, lifestyle....or we could worship exactly what we were designed for: God.   Step One to being saved is to recognize our deep need to stop living without God, and to start living with Him.  Not just 'with' Him, but to invite Him into the very center of our lives. Indeed to hand over 'our' life to Him, so that it becomes His life in us.  We can see that there is a throne in the middle of our heart, and we must step down from it, bow down at God's feet and ask Him if he will graciously sit on the throne of our lives.

Step One then, is to recognize that our life is a bankrupt and hollow pretense without God ruling over us, living in us, and restarting our lives.  Sorry.  I am sorry God, that I have lived so far without you.  I have tried to ignore you.  I am truly sorry.  Please forgive me for my blind selfishness.  Please forgive me.

These are more than words. Words come from our very core.  God promises that if you confess your sin, He WILL forgive you.  It's not a cheap forgiveness.  As you'll discover it costs Him His life, and to turn away from yourself, will cost you what is left of your life.  The Bible speaks of dieing to ourselves.  The word sorry should tear at us as we say it to God.  The good news is, God has a new life to swap for you old one.

Next step: Thank you