Even A Caveman Can Do It

 I have no idea how many days I have left on this earth. God has been merciful to me. When I strayed he brought me back. I have had many years of mediocre Christian living. I probably still can not match the integrity of the likes of Peter and Paul. Nor can I match the devotion of the likes of Joseph the son of Jacob from the book of Genesis or Daniel from the book by his name. But God has been just as faithful to me.  I cannot match the exploits of people like King David and King Solomon.  David as a young man killing Goliath and King Solomon with his great wisdom giving the right baby to the right mother. These men were not perfect. But I am amazed at the dedication of Joseph as he spends years as a slave and in prison without knowing his end. Daniel remains faithful when the laws are formed against him and survives a lion's den.  Joseph didn't have a Bible to encourage him, the Bible had not been written. The New Testament was written after Jesus' death and resurrection. I am impressed by the fairness of God when I read the stories of the 5 talents, regardless of the talents they were given God gave them rewards. Enter into the joys of your lord, if they were faithful. The only reproof was for doing nothing and hiding the talent in the earth. Or the examples are given of the lord of the harvest paying the same wages to all the workers even if they started late or early. It was God's to give and his alone. God did not just bless the best. His principles work for little old me if I apply them in my life. None of these men could fix their past they just repented when necessary and kept moving forward. I can't fix my past. I can't change a single thing I have done wrong. I can say forgive me and keep moving.  I often think of my Dad and his imperfect self. Without trying to dishonor my father what would I have gained if I could hold his wrongs against me? I have been just as imperfect. My life has not been as faithful as a Joseph or a Daniel.  I have not killed any Goliaths nor imparted great wisdom as Solomon did. But God promised me the same reward of eternal life for just believing in him. It is an individual relationship with God. Each of us is one on one with God. I don't have to be a David, or Solomon, or Joseph or Daniel. I can be like the thief on the cross and ask God to remember me. I can be like the woman at the well in Samaria. I can be like Nicodemus.  I can be the least of my family like Gideon. The parable of the talents intrigues me, I don't have to have 5 talents or 2 talents, I can be at the bottom with only one talent and if I just do the minimum like putting the money in a back to draw simple interest God would have been OK. What wasn't OK was doing nothing. I can't write a great book, but I tell my story as simple and unnoticeable as it is and it will please God. So I squandered many years of mediocrity, it is how I finish that matters to God. I am amazed at my family that we turned out as good as we did, considering the dysfunctional home we grew up in. God didn't hold it against us, he helped us through it all. If I could say to my children, I can't fix any of the past. If I wasn't the good father you wanted or disappointed you, I can't make it better. But you can, with your relationship with God you can overcome any obstacle put in your path. I have often thought of the drug addict with that weight on their shoulder, they can overcome it with God's help. Many have. Many grew up in worse homes than my own and with God's help, they overcame the mountains in their path. I really do wish I could go back and do a better job as a husband and a father, but I can't, nobody can. The best I can do is say God forgive me and keep pressing on. I am so thankful for Grace and Mercy, that is what gets anyone through, God's grace and God's Mercy. None of us can get enough money to buy our way in, None of us can live a good enough life to earn a place in heaven. We gain entrance just by believing in God and repenting of our sins. It is so easy even a caveman can do it.  God bless, LVZ.