Imagine walking the aisle of the Humane Society to adopt a puppy. They vary in age, size, color, and cuteness - but they all look at you with eager anticipation of their new master. You want to take them all home, but you can't. How do you decide, they are all so deserving of a nice home. They are all deserving of your love. Same scene, different picture. You begin down the aisle but there aren't any puppies. The cages are full of filthy, vicious dogs that growl at you as you pass. You ask the attendant about the dogs and he says, "these dogs have bit the hand that feeds every meal of their life. Every time we feed them they attack, they never wag their tail to give us an acknowledgment of thanks, they just snarl as if to say, "what took you so long?" You look at that second scene and think, "who would ever adopt these beasts?" Those beasts are you, those beasts are me. God has blessed us our entire life, we have snarled and bit His hand - we expect His blessing, we think we deserve His blessing. God walks that aisle and says, "I am going to adopt you any way. I love you. I forgive you. I will wash your filthiness in the Blood of My Son. I will put My Spirit within you and change you - you will be a child of God. You will be a child of the King, and your behavior will reflect one who is a child of the King. Ephesians 1:5-6 He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. He "walks the aisle", He opens the gate, are you going to die in that filthy cage, or are you going to come to Jesus and be saved?
