Reminders for the Wandering Soul

1. You were created for abundant and eternal life with God.

God created all the abundance of the earth and created humankind in His image to rule over the creation and enjoy its fruits alongside Him.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
— Genesis 1:26-30

Jesus teaches that there is an enemy with the intent to steal, kill, and destroy in your life. But Jesus Himself came to earth to offer you abundant life.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
— John 10:10

God offers us eternal life with Him through His son, Jesus. Life is found in Jesus alone.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
— 1 John 5:11-12

2. God’s commands are from love and for your good.

God is love and His commands come from His love. Obeying Him is how we remain in and enjoy His love. He asks us to obey Him so that we can have full joy!

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
— John 15:9-11

God works everything together for the good of those who love Him. If you turn your heart to Him, you can trust that He will use every piece of your story for your ultimate good.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
— Romans 8:28

3. Jesus has already paid the price for your sin.

Even at your worst, before you even tried to “be better”, Jesus died for you to be saved.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
— Romans 5:8

Jesus Himself bought our eternal redemption. The transaction is completed. It is only left for you to accept the free gift of eternal life He offers you!

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
— Hebrews 9:11-15

4. God is ready to welcome you into His Kingdom!

Jesus likens God to a father watching for his long lost rebellious son to come home. When the father sees his son, he runs to him, forgetting all dignity, and welcomes him wholeheartedly. God is watching and longing for you to return to Him so He can welcome you!

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
— Luke 15:20

All you need to do to be saved and secure in the life God has for you is to accept His gift. You accept the gift by confessing outwardly that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that He was raised to life after death, purchasing your life by conquering the grave.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
— Romans 10:8-10

Do you have any questions about what is written here? Or are you looking for support in coming back to God after a time of wandering? Reach out to our director Jason Huebner at 620-344-2971 and he will be happy to encourage you and connect you with resources.