Sometimes in life, it’s easy to think that nothing good can come from someone.  They have gone too far, they are beyond redemption, God can’t possibly use them, much less forgive them.

When you think that way, listen to what Paul writes to Timothy today in 1 Timothy 1: 12-15:

12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.

Let’s not paper over what Paul says.  It says he was formerly a blasphemer.  He persecuted the church.  He was a man of violence.

He was not a good guy.  He did much evil.  He basically said it right there.  He had done nothing to deserve God’s mercy and grace.  And yet that grace was given to him.

God didn’t give up on Paul.  God knew that great things were possible through Paul, God knew what Paul would do.  God didn’t give up on Paul.

Grace extended to even him.

Today, that’s a great lesson for us.  We have not gone too far.  Grace extends to us. And grace extends to them.  There is someone in your life that you are tempted to give up on.  Someone in your life that you think has gone too far, that God can’t possibly reach or can’t possible save.

God hasn’t given up on them yet.  Don’t give up on them.  Don’t quit praying for them. Don’t quit believing.  Don’t quit hoping.

God is not done with us yet.  God is not done with them yet.

Great things are yet to come.  Don’t stop believing that.  Don’t give up.

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